Seoul, South Korea (DT)- South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has reported that approximately 3,000 North Korean soldiers have already arrived in Russia, where they are preparing for potential deployment to the frontlines in Ukraine.
The number of North Korean troops involved could rise to 10,000 by December, according to intelligence shared with South Korean lawmakers, although NATO and Washington have yet to confirm the claims.
This follows an earlier report from the NIS on Friday, which stated that North Korea planned to send a total of 12,000 troops, including a Special Forces unit.
The NIS also indicated that 1,500 North Korean troops are currently stationed at bases in the Russian Far East, where they are undergoing training and receiving weapons, uniforms, and Russian identity cards.
The NIS believes the initial transfer of 1,500 soldiers, which occurred between October 8 and 13, has been followed by additional deployments that have nearly doubled the number of North Korean troops on Russian soil.
NIS Director Cho Tae-yong briefed committee members on the developments, according to ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) MP Lee Seong-kwon and opposition Democratic Party (DP) MP Park Seon-won, who spoke to local media.
Park stated that the NIS provided “well-founded information” indicating that around 10,000 troops will be deployed to Ukraine in December, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
NATO and Washington have yet to confirm these reports, which Moscow has dismissed as “hoaxes,” and Pyongyang has labeled “absurd comments.”
The NIS believes, along with many experts, that the troop deployment is linked to the strategic partnership agreement signed between Pyongyang and Moscow in June, which outlines mutual assistance in the event of an attack on either country.
This agreement has come into play following Ukrainian incursions into Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions.
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