North Korean Foreign Minister leaves for Russia amid reports of troop deployment
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui (Illustrative photo: Russian_Foreign_Ministry/Press_Service_telegram_channel)
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui has traveled to Moscow for yet another visit. This trip by the DPRK official comes amid reports of North Korean soldiers being sent to the aggressor country to assist in the war against Ukraine, reports Reuters.
It is noted that the North Korean Foreign Minister is heading to the Russian capital for an official visit. This trip marks the second for the DPRK's foreign affairs representative to Russia in six months.
According to state media KCNA, the delegation led by Choe departed for Russia on Monday, although the North Korean press has not provided further details about the visit.
"The visit of the head of the DPRK Foreign Ministry to the Russian Federation is taking place within the framework of a strategic dialogue - following an agreement to enhance ties reached by the leaders of our countries during the June 2024 summit," stated the Russian embassy in Pyongyang on social media.
Deployment of North Korean troops in Russia
The visit by the North Korean minister to Russia comes at a time when NATO has joined statements from Kyiv, Washington, and Seoul confirming reports of North Korean troops being sent to Russia. The North Atlantic Alliance noted that North Korean military units have been deployed, particularly in the Kursk region.
Additionally, on October 28, the Pentagon announced that the US would not impose new restrictions on Ukraine's use of American weapons if North Korea entered the war against Ukraine. The US Department of Defense stated that North Korea has sent 10,000 soldiers to Russia.
Additionally, US President Joe Biden has described the situation regarding North Korea's troop deployment to Russia as very dangerous.
Earlier reports from South Korea indicate that North Korea has sent 3,000 troops to Russia, with expectations that this number will rise to 10,000 soldiers by December.
Last week, the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that approximately 12,000 North Korean soldiers had been transferred to Russia, with some of them arriving in the Kursk region.
Meanwhile, the National Resistance Center has stated that more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers have already begun training in the Kursk region. The center also noted that along with the troops, employees of the North Korean embassy are being brought to the training grounds.
On October 25, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the timeline for when the first North Korean military personnel would arrive in combat zones, stating that this is expected to happen by the end of this month.
