North Korea Preparing More Troops for Russia, Seoul Says

North Korea is continuing preparations for an additional troop deployment to Russia, but there are no signs that such a deployment is imminent, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said, according to the office of lawmaker Yu Yong-weon.

The assessment came after Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, denied Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s claim that Pyongyang planned to send up to 50,000 more troops to Russia.

North Korea has also continued supplying Russia with weapons systems, including short-range ballistic missiles. Seoul estimates that Pyongyang has supplied Russia with artillery ammunition equivalent to more than 15 million 152 mm shells.

North Korean missiles used in the war may have improved in accuracy as a result of battlefield data, Russian technical advice and component support, according to an assessment by South Korea’s Defense Intelligence Agency.

The development of some North Korean ballistic missiles and multiple rocket launchers intended for use in a conflict with South Korea is nearing completion. The Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile, capable of reaching the US territory of Guam, is also being prepared for operational deployment.

North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missiles are capable of reaching the US mainland, but key technologies, including warhead re-entry, have not been verified because all test launches have followed unusually steep trajectories rather than normal long-range flight paths.

Military cooperation between North Korea and Russia has deepened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Pyongyang supplying artillery ammunition and missiles since 2023 and deploying troops from 2024.

(Reuters, max)