The White House has officially confirmed North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia. At least 3,000 soldiers have been sent to Russia’s eastern front, with the possibility that they will be deployed to fight in Ukraine after completing their training.
John Kirby, the White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, stated on October 23, “We assess that between early to mid-October, North Korea moved at least 3,000 soldiers into eastern Russia.”
“We assessed that these soldiers traveled by ship from the Wonsan area in North Korea to Vladivostok, Russia,” he said. “The soldiers then traveled onward to multiple Russian military training sites in eastern Russia where they are currently undergoing training.”
Kirby emphasized during a regular briefing that the U.S. has been working closely with allies and partners to fully grasp the situation regarding North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia.
Kirby expressed concerns that North Korean soldiers may eventually be deployed to fight in Ukraine.
“We do not yet know whether these soldiers will enter into combat alongside the Russian military but this is certainly a highly concerning probability,” he said. “After completing training, these soldiers could travel to western Russia and then engage in combat against the Ukrainian military. We have briefed the Ukrainian government on our understanding of this situation and we’re certainly consulting closely with other allies, partners, and countries in the region on the implications of such a dramatic move and on how we might respond.”
He also noted that the U.S. government has briefed Ukraine about the situation, stressing that the U.S. is closely consulting with allies and partners about the implications of such a significant move and how to respond.
Kirby stressed that if North Korean troops enter combat, they will become targets for Ukraine’s forces. “Ukrainian military will defend themselves against North Korean soldiers just as they do against Russian forces,” Kirby said.
He added, “I can tell you one thing though, if they do deploy to fight against Ukraine, they’re fair game, they’re fair targets, and the Ukrainian military will defend themselves against North Korean soldiers in the same way they’re defending themselves against Russian soldiers. And so the possibility that there could be dead and wounded North Korean soldiers fighting against Ukraine is absolutely real if they get deployed.”
In response to these developments, the U.S. government plans to announce significant sanctions targeting those who support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine from outside the country, Kirby said, adding that the announcement will come in the next few days.
The U.S. also reiterated its commitment to providing Ukraine with the support it needs to secure victory in the ongoing conflict.
This marks the first time the U.S. government has officially acknowledged North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia.
Previously, South Korean National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong reported to the South Korean National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee that around 3,000 North Korean soldiers had moved to Russia and projected that up to 10,000 soldiers could be deployed by December.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also reported that the total number of North Korean soldiers being deployed to support Russia could be as high as 12,000, equivalent to two brigade-sized units. The South Korean intelligence agency confirmed that approximately 3,000 North Korean troops had moved to Russia by the 23rd.
At the same intelligence briefing, lawmakers from both major South Korean parties, including People Power Party representative Lee Sung-gwon and Democratic Party representative Park Sun-won, reported that Director Cho had indicated the number of North Korean soldiers could reach 10,000 by December.
The South Korean intelligence agency reported that North Korean soldiers are currently dispersed across multiple training facilities in Russia, adapting to the local environment.
The agency also noted that Russian instructors have reported that while the physical stamina and morale of the North Korean troops are strong, their understanding of modern warfare, including drone operations, is lacking, and they are expected to face high casualties if deployed to the front lines.
Furthermore, South Korea’s intelligence agency has detected a large-scale recruitment of Korean language interpreters within the Russian military and has confirmed that specialized training, including the use of military equipment and drones, is being provided to the North Korean soldiers.
Although the North Korean government has kept the troop deployment a secret, rumors are spreading within North Korea, with reports of selected soldiers’ families showing visible distress. The intelligence agency has also identified signs that North Korean authorities are relocating and isolating the families of deployed soldiers to maintain strict control over information.
The intelligence agency believes the decision to deploy troops was made shortly after the signing of the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement” between North Korea and Russia in June, which includes a clause committing military aid in times of war.
The agency has analyzed North Korea’s motivations as including solidifying its military alliance with Russia, seeking Russian intervention in the event of a crisis with South Korea, overcoming economic difficulties, and accelerating military modernization.
Representative Lee from the People Power Party commented, “It’s likely that Russia is providing North Korea with significant economic compensation in exchange for troop deployment.”
BY YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
