North Korea Prepares for Potential Troop Dispatch, Says Seoul

Seoul’s defence intelligence agency briefed a member of parliament that North Korea is maintaining a state of readiness for a possible future troop deployment to Russia, although no actual movement has been observed.

People’s Power Party legislator Yu Yong‑won relayed that the North Korean leadership is weighing logistical and strategic considerations, but there is no evidence of soldiers loading onto transport vehicles or crossing the border at this time.

The report arrives after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested that Russia was planning to bring in up to 30,000 North Korean troops as reinforcements, a statement that was quickly dismissed by Pyongyang’s senior officials.

Intelligence figures indicate that more than 16,000 North Korean soldiers have already served in Russia since late 2024, many of whom have become casualties. The same sources note that Pyongyang has supplied over 15 million artillery shells to support Russian forces.

In a congratulatory note to President Vladimir Putin on the 81st anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule, Kim Jong‑un affirmed his belief that Russia will successfully defend its national interests and maintain regional stability.