Darcie Draudt-Véjares
Recent intelligence reports from the United States and its partners indicate the war in Ukraine has entered a hazardous new phase: North Korean troops have arrived in Russia, possibly to train to fight in Ukraine. On Monday, South Korea summoned the Russian ambassador and urged the immediate withdrawal of North Korean soldiers from Russia, though the Kremlin has consistently denied their presence. This potential deployment of third-party ground forces risks transforming the conflict between Russia and Ukraine into even more of a global security crisis, with particularly stark implications for the Korean Peninsula.
The scope of Russo-North Korean military cooperation has expanded dramatically since Vladimir Putin visited Kim Jong Un in North Korea and signed a comprehensive defense treaty in June. What started with North Korea supplying ammunition to Russia has evolved into a more sustained partnership. Even before the latest reports emerged, the top South Korean intelligence agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), has identified dozens of North Korean officers and one prominent missile development expert, Kim Jong-sik, at Russian frontline positions providing direct guidance on using Pyongyang’s weaponry to Moscow’s forces. These personnel aren’t merely observers, and their presence marks North Korea’s significant shift from arms supplier to active participant.
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