South Korea may deploy military staff to Ukraine and provide armed support after reports of North Korean troops aiding Russia, Yonhap reported.
Seoul is considering the possibility of deploying a team of military personnel from intelligence units to Ukraine following reports on North Korean involvement in Russia’s full-scale invasion, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.
South Korean team would be able to analyse Pyongyang’s warfare tactics and combat capabilities.
The government in Seoul is also reportedly considering providing Ukraine with armed support. Until now, Seoul has only sent humanitarian aid to Kyiv, although there have been reports that South Korea has indirectly supplied artillery shells to Ukraine via the US.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, South Korean defence exports have expanded significantly. One of its biggest arms deals took place in 2022 through a framework agreement with Poland, amounting to over €20 billion after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s database, Seoul is among the top arms exporters in the world.
Meanwhile, Pyongyang’s forces are about to enter the war theatre to fight on Moscow’s side.
According to Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, the first group of 2,600 soldiers will be deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukraine is holding significant territories following the surprise incursion at the beginning of August.
Ukrainian forces recently advanced on the western side of the Ukrainian salient in the Kursk region, where fighting is raging.
Budanov said that close to 11,000 North Korean troops are in Russia and will be “ready to fight” in Ukraine by 1 November.
According to South Korean intelligence, North Korea has sent 1,500 soldiers to Russia for training, describing the move as the first step of involvement in Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
No reason for concern?
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s ambassador to the country, Georgy Zinoviev, over reports of the deployment of North Korean military personnel to Russia.
The Russian Embassy in South Korea falsely framed the event as a voluntary meeting, as opposed to a diplomatic summons, and notably claimed that any cooperation between Russia and North Korea “is not directed against the security interests” of Seoul.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also claimed that Russia-North Korea cooperation “should not cause concern” to other states and that information about the alleged presence of Pyongyang troops in Russia may be “contradictory”.
Experts say that the Kremlin’s attempts to assure South Korea that its cooperation with North Korea is not a threat to Seoul suggests that Moscow remains very concerned about the prospect of Seoul’s potential pivot towards providing Ukraine with necessary military support.
