North Korea is likely to deploy regular troops to Ukraine to help Russia, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-Hyun told lawmakers on Oct. 8, the Yonhap news agency reported.
"As Russia and North Korea have signed a mutual treaty akin to a military alliance, the possibility of such a deployment is highly likely," the minister said in the parliament.
Moscow and Pyongyang have deepened military cooperation as Russia seeks arms and other support in its full-scale war against Ukraine.
Asked about a recent report by Ukrainian media that North Korean service members were killed and injured near occupied Donetsk, Kim said that this is also likely true.
The group of North Korean soldiers arrived in the Russian-held part of Ukraine to exchange experience with their Russian counterparts, Interfax-Ukraine reported on Oct. 4, citing a military intelligence source. Six were reportedly killed and three injured in a missile attack.
"We believe there have been injuries and fatalities among North Korean troops in Ukraine," Kim said, according to Politico.
North Korea has been supplying Russia with vast quantities of artillery shells and with ballistic missiles during the full-scale war. Moscow's military strategy requires large quantities of artillery shells fired to destroy the opponent's positions or prepare ground assaults.
There have also been reports of North Korean military or police personnel traveling to join "reconstruction efforts" in occupied Donbas in early 2023 and plans to send military trainers in July this year.
The two countries signed a mutual defense pact during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang earlier this year.
"The relations between Russia and North Korea are evolving to be almost as close as a military alliance," Kim said.
"As such, more North Korean troops could be deployed in the war, from how we look at it."
There were no details on the scale of support North Korean soldiers are expected to provide to Russia in Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
