North Korea dismissed allegations on Monday that it deployed troops to Russia to assist in the war against Ukraine, branding the claims as baseless.
"As for the so-called military cooperation with Russia, my delegation does not feel any need for comment on such groundless, stereotype rumors aimed at smearing the image of the DPRK and undermining the legitimate, friendly, and cooperative relations between sovereign states," a North Korean representative said during a United Nations General Assembly committee meeting, using the country's official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
He was responding to reports from South Korean intelligence suggesting that Pyongyang planned to deploy approximately 12,000 troops to aid Russian forces in Ukraine. Citing satellite imagery, Seoul said around 1,500 North Korean special forces have already been transported to Russia's Far East.
Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in China with a written request for comment.
The United States responded cautiously, with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin telling reporters during the G7 defense ministers' meeting in Naples, Italy, on Saturday: "I can't confirm those reports, but if that is the case, it's serious." He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin was "having trouble" and said more than 350,000 Russian soldiers were estimated to have been killed in the 31 months since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion.
South Korea has taken a firm stance against the alleged troop deployment.
First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hong Kyun summoned Georgy Zinoviev, Russia's ambassador to South Korea, to express Seoul's "grave position" on the matter. Kim condemned the military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, warning that Seoul would respond with "all available means" in coordination with the global community.
Zinoviev stressed in the meeting that cooperation with Pyongyang was "within the framework of international law" and did "not run counter to the security interests of the Republic of Korea," the embassy said in a statement on Telegram, using South Korea's official name.
That same day, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol discussed the matter in a call with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte. Yoon said he would dispatch a delegation to share information and ramp up defense cooperation with Ukraine and NATO.
The 32-member alliance has recently been stepping up cooperation with South Korea, as well as with Japan and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, prompting protests from China.
The reported deployment of North Korean troops to Russia has raised concerns about the broader implications for regional security.
Patrick Cronin, Asia-Pacific security chair at the Hudson Institute, told Newsweek on Monday that by sending troops, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un likely hoped to secure advanced Russian defense technology and personal assurances of military support from the Kremlin in the event of a future conflict.
The strengthened ties between Moscow and Pyongyang have been evident in recent months. Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea in June—his first in over two decades—culminated in a military assistance treaty that has caused alarm in Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo.
South Korea has for months accused North Korea of shipping thousands of containers filled with arms to Russia to replenish that country's stocks, claims substantiated by satellite images showing Russian ships loading cargo in North Korean ports.
A recent discussion between Chinese mercenaries who have fought alongside Russians suggests some North Koreans may have already perished in the conflict.
In a video shared on X, formerly Twitter, a fellow gun-for-hire still on the front line claimed that eight North Koreans had died on their first day of combat.
English (US) ·