North Korea sent 20-year-old soldiers and teenagers to fight against Ukraine, South Korean intelligence
North Korea has transferred 20-year-old soldiers and teenagers to Russia to take part in hostilities against Ukraine.
This is stated in a report by the National Intelligence Service of South Korea, Censor.NET reports with reference to Yonhap News.
"It should be said that they have already received the basic combat training they need as an 'assault corps', so their combat capabilities should never be underestimated," the statement said.
South Korean intelligence also has information that the DPRK's Deputy Chief of General Staff, Kim Yong Bok, is heading to the front line in Ukraine with an "advanced unit".
It is noted that he is a "close military aide" to North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, and Western media mention him as the "head of a unit" sent to Russia.
Seoul's intelligence service said that the data suggests that the deployment of North Korean troops to Kursk is "inevitable".
In addition, according to their estimates, since the beginning of 2024, the DPRK has sent about 4,000 workers to Russia, who will receive a salary of about $800.
The intelligence agency noted that this is the first time that the DPRK has deployed its soldiers abroad to take part in combat operations. Seoul considers this a great opportunity to assess the combat capability of the North Korean army.
DPRK military in Russia
The day before, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that Russia was using North Korean soldiers in the war against Ukraine.
On 25 October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that, according to intelligence, the first North Korean military would be used by Russia in combat zones on 27-28 October.
On 28 October, the Pentagon said that the DPRK had sent about 10,000 of its military to Russia for training and further participation in hostilities against Ukraine, which would take place in the "next few weeks".
The Pentagon said that Ukrainian troops could use the US weapons provided to them against the North Korean military if the DPRK enters the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia.
Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said that approximately several thousand North Korean soldiers have already deployed to the Kursk region in Russia. A smaller number of them are already in the Kursk region.
