South Korea closely monitoring Russia's reported preparation for more North Korean troops: Foreign ministry

SEOUL: The foreign ministry said Monday it is closely monitoring military cooperation between North Korea and Russia following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's claim that Moscow is preparing to receive another 30,000 North Korean troops for its war against Ukraine.

In a recent post on X, Zelenskyy said Russia is preparing to bring in an additional 30,000 North Korean troops, with preparations under way since June in Russia's Voronezh region to receive them.

The Ukrainian president also claimed Pyongyang was preparing to transfer additional ballistic missile launchers to Russia. He did not offer any intelligence or specific details supporting his claims.

"The government is closely monitoring developments related to military cooperation between North Korea and Russia," the foreign ministry said in a brief statement, while declining to comment on intelligence matters.

"The government maintains the position that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia in violation of UN Security Council resolutions must be stopped immediately," it added.

According to government sources, there have been no confirmed signs so far of an additional deployment of North Korean troops.

North Korea is believed to have already deployed about 20,000 troops and military engineers to support Russia's war efforts, with around 14,000 estimated to be currently serving on the front lines, Yonhap news agency reported.

Last week, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui visited Moscow, where she met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, fueling speculation about further military ties between the two sides.

North Korea began sending troops to Russia in October 2024 after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in Pyongyang four months earlier.

Ukraine and its allies estimate that North Korea has deployed about 14,000 combat troops to Russia's Kursk region. Additional engineering and military construction units have reportedly increased the total number of North Korean personnel sent to Russia.