SEOUL, June 26: North Korea may send additional troops to Russia to support its war effort against Ukraine as early as July or August, according to South Korea’s intelligence agency. The revelation was shared during a closed-door parliamentary briefing on Thursday, amid growing concerns over deepening military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun, who attended the briefing, said the National Intelligence Service (NIS) believes Russia is preparing for a large-scale military offensive in Ukraine in the coming months and is relying on further manpower from North Korea to bolster its assault.
“The timing of the additional deployment is that it could be as early as July or August,” Lee told reporters. He added that the assessment is based on intelligence gathered about North Korea’s troop mobilization and a recent high-level visit to Pyongyang by a Russian presidential security official.
The NIS also believes that North Korea continues to supply Russia with artillery ammunition and missiles in exchange for advanced military technology. According to the briefing, Pyongyang is receiving technical advice from Moscow on satellite launches and missile guidance systems—capabilities critical to North Korea’s own weapons development programs.
Both North Korea and Russia have recently acknowledged the presence of North Korean forces on Russian soil, disclosing their involvement in operations around the contested Kursk region. This disclosure comes after months of speculation and signals a growing military alliance that has drawn concern from regional powers and the international community.
Their ongoing cooperation is grounded in a treaty signed in June 2024 by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The pact includes mutual defense provisions, effectively aligning the two authoritarian states in a formal military partnership.
The reported troop deployment and weapons trade come amid heightened global scrutiny over violations of U.N. Security Council sanctions, which prohibit arms transfers to and from North Korea. Both countries have dismissed the criticisms, asserting that their collaboration is lawful and rooted in mutual strategic interests.
