Seoul is taking a more assertive stance regarding arms support for Ukraine in light of increasing evidence that North Korean soldiers are preparing to aid Russia in its ongoing conflict. Pjotr Sauer reported on October 22, 2024, that South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) recently revealed that North Korea has sent 1,500 special forces members to Russia’s far eastern region for training, indicating potential combat alongside Russian troops in Ukraine. Furthermore, reports suggest that Pyongyang plans to dispatch up to 12,000 troops divided into four brigades.
During a press briefing, a senior official from President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office articulated that Seoul is open to considering the provision of both defensive and offensive weaponry to Ukraine, contingent on how the situation evolves. “We would consider supplying weapons for defensive purposes as part of the step-by-step scenarios, and if it seems they are going too far, we might also consider offensive use,” the official stated, marking a significant shift in South Korea’s approach to arming Ukraine.
This development raises the possibility of the Korean peninsula becoming further embroiled in the conflict. The official’s remarks came after an emergency meeting of South Korea’s National Security Council, which was convened to assess the implications of North Korea’s growing military collaboration with Russia. Historically, South Korea has refrained from supplying weapons to actively engaged conflict zones, though it has contributed humanitarian aid and participated in Western-led sanctions against Moscow.
Kyiv would likely welcome this policy change, especially given the urgent need for munitions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously called for a “strong response” from international allies regarding North Korea’s involvement.
Compounding the situation, recent videos allegedly show North Korean soldiers training in Russia. Over the past few days, a Ukrainian strategic communication center disseminated footage purportedly showing North Korean troops receiving uniforms and equipment at a training ground in Russia’s far east. An independent Russian outlet shared additional clips appearing to feature North Korean soldiers outside a military base, speaking in Korean and following instructions from an instructor.
While the Kremlin has not confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops to Ukraine, it reiterated its right to foster relationships with Pyongyang in various sectors. Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin, who first met in 2019, have sought closer military and economic ties to address their mutual isolation intensified by the war in Ukraine and North Korea’s nuclear agenda. In June, the leaders signed a pact pledging mutual support in the event of an attack.
On Monday, the UK Government expressed its assessment that North Korea is highly likely to send troops to aid Russia. Dame Barbara Woodward, the UK’s permanent representative to the UN, remarked in New York, “It seems that the harder Putin finds it to recruit Russians to be cannon fodder, the more willing he is to rely on the DPRK [North Korea] in his illegal war. Putin is clearly desperate. His desperation is a danger to us all.”
