1,500 North Korean soldiers train in Russia before fighting

1,500 North Korean soldiers train in Russia before fighting
1,500 North Korean soldiers train in Russia before fighting

No less than 1,500 North Korean soldiers are training in Russia, with a view to being mobilized in Ukraine, South Korean intelligence services announced, Friday October 18, 2024, reports the British press agency Reuters.

North Korean officers identified using artificial intelligence

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), in collaboration with its Ukrainian counterpart, said it used facial recognition and artificial intelligence to identify North Korean officers sent to the Donetsk region in support Russian soldiers using North Korean missiles.

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North Korea has exported artillery shells, ballistic missiles, anti-tank rockets to Russia in more than 13,000 containers since August 2023, according to the NIS which is based on weapons found on the Ukrainian front.

In total, more than 8 million artillery shells and rockets were exported to Russia, according to South Korean intelligence.

“Direct military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, long documented by foreign media, is now officially confirmed”the NIS said in a statement, adding that it continues to monitor activities between the two countries.

“A serious security threat” according to South Korean military officials

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol held a meeting with military, intelligence and national security officials to discuss the presence of North Korean troops on Russian territory.

“According to the participants […]the current situation of rapprochement between Russia and North Korea goes beyond the delivery of military supplies and constitutes a serious security threat not only for our country but also for the international community.declared the South Korean president.

South Korea, a major exporter of weapons, fighter planes, howitzers and missiles, has refrained from delivering any to Ukraine, despite pressure from its Western allies.

Ships from the Russian Pacific Fleet with 1,500 North Korean soldiers on board were spotted near Vladivostok from October 8 to 13, the NIS said.

The soldiers are dressed in Russian military uniforms, armed and provided with false identity documents, probably to pass them off as Russian fighters on the battlefield, the South Korean agency added.

A mutual defense pact concluded at the end of 2023

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky accused North Korea on Thursday October 17, 2024 of deploying officers alongside Russia and preparing to send thousands of soldiers to help Moscow in its war. That said, Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General, said he had no evidence of such a North Korean presence.

Since a joint summit late last year, Moscow and Pyongyang have strengthened their military ties, while Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin concluded a mutual defense pact as part of a strategic partnership signed in June.

North Korea has 1.28 million troops on duty, according to South Korea’s latest data, and has stepped up the development of its ballistic and nuclear arsenal.

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