North Korea deploys 10,000 troops to Russia-Ukraine border, South Korean intel says
Illustrative photo: North Korea has deployed 10,000 troops to the border with Ukraine (GettyImages)
According to South Korean intelligence, there are currently about 10,000 North Korean soldiers performing security functions on the border between Russia and Ukraine.
According to intelligence reports, over 1,000 of the 10,000 North Korean engineers are involved in demining work in border areas.
In addition, Pyongyang has sent another 5,000 of its citizens, who have been arriving in Russia since September. They are planned to be used to restore infrastructure in the occupied territories.
"In particular, by heroizing the troops dispatched to Russia, he is highlighting his own dispatch to Russia as a significant achievement and appears intent on fabricating a new victory myth, following the 1950s, regarding the recapture of Kursk from Ukraine. We have also detected movements to establish two victory museums in Pyongyang," the intelligence report says.
Cooperation between Russia and North Korea
In June 2024, Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a strategic partnership agreement in Pyongyang. The document provides for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the 2 countries.
After that, it became known that North Korea was sending its military to Russia for military training.
In April 2025, Russia admitted that North Korean troops were fighting against Ukraine. This happened after the Ukrainian military captured several soldiers in the Kursk region.
In addition, North Korea is helping Russia with weapons and missiles.
North Korea is also considering sending workers to Russian factories that produce Shahed strike drones. It plans to send 25,000 workers.
