South Korean delegation to bring crucial intelligence on North Korean military to Ukraine
President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol. Photo: Jeon Heon-Kyun / Pool Photo via AP
This week, a delegation from South Korea will be visiting Ukraine until November 3 to share information about the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russia and to explore opportunities for future cooperation.
The Yonhap publication reported this, referring to a telephone conversation between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The Office of the President of Ukraine distributed this information.
The South Korean delegation will first inform the EU Political and Security Committee on October 29 before they visit Ukraine.
According to Yonhap, citing South Korean intelligence, several North Korean generals and military personnel may have already been deployed in the battle area. A South Korean intelligence official has confirmed ongoing communication and coordination between North Korea and Russia and that North Korean military officers, particularly those in high-ranking positions, are currently being considered for deployment to the front lines.
According to the representative, the Russian military is already teaching North Korean soldiers special terms in the Russian language, but communication between them is complicated due to the language barrier.
It is worth adding that South Korea is one of the largest arms exporters in the world but has so far avoided direct delivery of lethal weapons to Ukraine. However, Seoul announced its intention to take "phased measures" in response to deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.
Even sending offensive and defensive weapons to Ukraine is being discussed among the possible steps.
It is worth adding that in June, it was reported that if the Russian Federation provides the DPRK with high-precision weapons, then South Korea will not "bind" itself in military aid to Ukraine.
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It should be noted that South Korean intelligence confirmed that Pyongyang has decided to send 12,000 troops to support the Russian Federation in the war against Ukraine. The first 1,500 special forces from the DPRK have already arrived at the training center at the Sergeev training ground of the Russian Far East.
Previously, Kyrylo Budanov, the intelligence chief of Ukraine, stated to the media that approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers would be prepared to engage in combat in Ukraine by November 1, 2024.
On October 22, the head of Ukrainian intelligence announced that the first North Korean soldiers would soon arrive in Russia's Kursk region. They will help the Russian army.
In his turn, President Zelensky mentioned that Ukraine has intelligence regarding Russia's training of two North Korean military units, potentially forming two brigades consisting of 6,000 individuals each.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in the Russian Federation and their deployment to the Kursk region to participate in the war against Ukraine.
In addition, the Wall Street Journal also wrote that the North Korean troops are moving towards the front line between Russia and Ukraine. Still, according to military analysts, they are not considered to be the top units of Kim Jong Un's army.
In North Korea, the political consequences of possible losses at the front will be limited by the isolation of the families of military personnel, according to South Korean intelligence.
According to it, by December, North Korea can send up to 10,000 soldiers. Although Kim Jong Un often calls his armed forces "the strongest in the world," the country has not been involved in a major conflict since the 1950-1953 Korean War.
