One of the latest twists of the war in Ukraine is dominating media coverage in South Korea this week. It’s the story of thousands of North Korean troops the South Korean government says are joining Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Early Tuesday, the foreign ministers of South Korea and the United Kingdom condemned the movement of North Korean troops to Russia — and plans to use them in the war against Ukraine.
Britain’s Foreign Minister was in Seoul for broader face-to-face meetings with his South Korean counterpart.
On Monday, South Korea’s president spoke with the Secretary General of NATO.
According to the president’s office, he shared some details about North Korea’s plans with Russia.
On Friday, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service announced North Korea is sending approximately 12,000 special forces to fight in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Seoul government says some 1,500 are already receiving special training in Russia.
South Korea’s Joong Ang Daily reported that North Korea has previously sent smaller contingents of forces to foreign conflicts to earn hard currency — but never in these numbers.
Reuters reported that a think tank affiliated with South Korea’s National Intelligence Service estimates North Korea earned more than half a billion U.S. dollars last year from arms sales to Russia.
In June, Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin signed a security pact pledging the countries to help each other against “aggression.”
NATO’s Secretary General says if Pyongyang deploys troops to the battlefield in the war against Ukraine, it “would mark a significant escalation in the conflict.”
