North Korea to Send More Troops to Russia, South Korean Intelligence Says
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
North Korea to Send More Troops to Russia, South Korean Intelligence Says
North Korea plans to send additional troops to Russia to assist in its war against Ukraine as early as July, a South Korean lawmaker said Thursday. The announcement comes a week after Russian Security Council head Sergei Shoigu said during a visit to Pyongyang that North Korea would send military engineers and construction troops.
The announcement comes a week after Russian Security Council head Sergei Shoigu said during a visit to Pyongyang that North Korea would send military engineers and construction troops to help rebuild the Kursk region.
“North Korea is continuing to send troops and supply weapons to Russia, and we see its support has played a significant role in Moscow’s efforts to retake Kursk,” lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun told reporters following a briefing from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).
“After dispatching 11,000 personnel in October last year, Russia has already announced a second deployment of 4,000 troops, and a further 6,000 construction troops to assist in rebuilding Kursk,” Lee added.
NIS believes the additional deployment could take place as early as July or August, pointing to precedents such as Shoigu’s visit about a month prior to the previous deployment, as well as recent reports that North Korea has begun selecting personnel for dispatch.
North Korea likely to deploy additional troops to Russia in July or August: Spy agency
North Korea is likely to send additional troops to support Russia’s war against Ukraine in July or August, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers on Thursday. Russia’s media reported that Pyongyang will send 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers to Russia’s Kursk region. The NIS also noted that North Korea has supported Russia by providing over 10 million artillery shells, missiles and long-range weapons, in exchange for economic cooperation and technical support from Moscow.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) made the assessment in a closed-door briefing to the parliamentary intelligence committee, as Russia’s media reported that Pyongyang will send 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers to Russia’s Kursk region, in another possible sign of their deepening military alignment.
Representatives Park Sun-won of the ruling Democratic Party and Lee Seong-kweun of the main Opposition People Power Party, who were briefed by the NIS, told reporters that North Korea appeared to have already begun a recruitment process for the additional deployment to Russia.
After Russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang and met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un early last week, Russian media reported that Pyongyang plans to send thousands of military construction workers to Russia’s Kursk front line.
The NIS also noted that North Korea has supported Russia by providing over 10 million artillery shells, missiles and long-range weapons, in exchange for economic cooperation and technical support from Moscow.
North Korea’s troop dispatch and weapons support have significantly contributed to Russia’s war efforts, the NIS said, adding that Russia currently controls about 81 per cent of the four Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Luhansk.
The NIS also said Ukrainian intelligence authorities are raising the possibility that Russia may launch an offensive between July and August.
Regarding the recent situation in the Middle East, the NIS warned of the potential for renewed conflict between Israel and Iran despite the ceasefire, Yonhap news agency reported.
Israel may resume the war depending on domestic political considerations, while Iran could also reengage in the conflict to reassert its influence after addressing internal unrest, the agency added.
In response, the South Korean government is implementing safety measures for its nationals in the region, securing vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz and enhancing monitoring for potential disruptions in the supply chains of crude oil and other critical items, according to lawmakers.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
North Korea may send more troops to Russia in July or August
North Korea may deploy additional troops to Russia to fight in the war against Ukraine in July or August. Pyongyang is continuing to supply arms to Russia, South Korean lawmakers said on Thursday, citing a briefing by the intelligence agency.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) believes Russia may be readying to mount a large-scale attack against Ukraine in July or August, South Korean member of parliament Lee Seong-kweun told reporters after the closed-door briefing.
“The timing of the additional deployment is that it could be as early as July or August,” Lee said, adding the agency cited a new round-up of troops for the dispatch by North Korea and a recent visit to Pyongyang by a top Russian presidential security official as grounds for its assessment.
In return for North Korea sending artillery ammunition and missiles to Russia, Pyongyang is likely receiving technical advice on satellite launches and missile guidance systems, Lee said, citing the NIS briefing.