South Korea is reportedly considering sending military personnel to Ukraine to monitor North Korean troops who may be involved in Russia’s ongoing war, according to a report from Yonhap on Oct. 22. This potential deployment comes in response to intelligence suggesting that North Korea is preparing to send around 10,000 soldiers to bolster Russian forces, raising alarm in Seoul and the broader international community.
An unnamed government source told Yonhap that the South Korean team would likely consist of military intelligence officers with expertise in analyzing North Korean combat tactics. The personnel could also assist in interrogations of captured North Korean soldiers, offering insights into Pyongyang’s military strategies.
“There is a possibility that personnel will be sent to Ukraine to monitor the tactics and combat capabilities of North Korean special forces dispatched in support of Russia,” the source explained.
This development follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement that approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers will be prepared to fight in Ukraine by November. Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, has confirmed that the first group of 2,600 North Korean troops is expected to arrive in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, a region where Ukrainian forces have been conducting cross-border operations since August.
South Korea has been vocal in its opposition to the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. Following a recent arms agreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Seoul signaled it may reconsider its policy of only providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The South Korean government has also hinted at possibly supplying defensive weapons, with indirect provision of lethal arms still under consideration.
As concerns mount over North Korea’s direct involvement in the conflict, South Korean officials view this as a significant security threat to the international order. The country’s National Intelligence Service estimates that Pyongyang could deploy four brigades, including up to 12,000 troops and 1,500 special forces, to assist Russia.
The decision to send South Korean personnel to Ukraine represents a shift in the country’s stance, underscoring the gravity of the situation and the potential escalation of the war with North Korean forces involved.
