Reports on Monday , October 15, 2024 claim North Korean troops are now part of Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, marking a ramping up of military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. South Korean officials have said it is “highly likely” that North Korean personnel operate alongside Russian forces, after Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin signed a mutual defense pact in June 2024.
According to Ukrainian sources, six North Korean officers were recently killed during a missile strike in the Donetsk region on October 3. Three others are reportedly injured. The soldiers, as per sources, had been deployed to oversee the use of North Korean munitions and provide technical guidance, which goes to suggest that there is deeper cooperation between these two countries. At this point, it is still unclear just how deeply involved North Korea will be, but military analysts say these troops might be stationed both on the front lines and in Russian-occupied border areas to free up Russian forces for active combat assignments.
This is a new development in the demand of Russia for external assistance as the battle continues into Ukraine and the country further isolates internationally. The involvement of North Korean officers adds to recent reports where there have been claims of Pyongyang sending artillery shells and ballistic missiles to Moscow, signifying growing relations between the two sanctioned states.
This alliance is being taken very seriously by the South Korean authorities, who have voiced grave concerns over the rivalry, considering it a direct challenge to global security norms. As the war in Ukraine continues to unfold, North Korea’s more active involvement would have major geopolitical implications, mainly for the stability of the regions of Asia and Europe.
It has raised more questions on how far Russia and North Korea will go in military cooperation, both in terms of deployment of troops and weaponry. Western allies along with South Korea continue to study the impact of this growing relationship in the war, to which Ukraine is a party.
