Seoul: North Korea appears to have dispatched at least 3,000 more soldiers to Russia in January and February to support Moscow's ongoing conflict against Ukraine, as reported by South Korea's military on Thursday. This move has sparked concerns regarding the deepening military collaboration between North Korea and Russia, which could potentially result in the transfer of advanced arms technologies to Pyongyang in exchange for troop deployment.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) provided an assessment indicating that out of approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers sent to Russia, 4,000 have become casualties. The JCS noted that an additional 3,000 troops have been dispatched in the early months of this year. Beyond troop deployment, North Korea is also supplying missiles, ammunition, and artillery equipment to Russia. This includes a significant quantity of short-range ballistic missiles and around 220 pieces of 170-millimeter self-propelled howitzers and 240 mm rocket launchers.
The South Korean military has also observed that North Korea seems to be making technological advancements to potentially launch another military spy satellite, although no imminent launch is currently evident. The JCS remains vigilant, monitoring possible provocations from North Korea, such as launches of solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
In related developments, North Korea has installed a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera on a transmission tower north of the Military Demarcation Line, as part of ongoing construction activities in the border area since last year. While the CCTV installation does not pose a direct threat, the South Korean military is maintaining its surveillance operations and readiness posture, considering the possibility of exposure to North Korean military activities.
Since the previous year, North Korea has been dismantling power lines and transmission towers along the Gyeongui road, a move interpreted as an effort to sever inter-Korean ties. So far, 11 transmission towers have been removed. Additionally, the North has mobilized troops to reinforce border barbed wire, resulting in multiple casualties due to landmine explosions in the area.
Internally, North Korea is conducting fewer wintertime military training exercises compared to last year, attributed to troop mobilization for construction projects, preparation for further deployment to Russia, and ongoing energy shortages. The JCS also observed that North Korea is focusing on increasing its bargaining power against the United States by showcasing its nuclear capabilities and criticizing joint military exercises between South Korea and the U.S., as well as the deployment of key U.S. military assets to the Korean Peninsula.
Despite condemning joint drills as rehearsals for war, North Korea refrained from major provocations during the annual springtime Freedom Shield exercise conducted by South Korea and the U.S. earlier this month.