UNITED NATIONS: North Korea has denied allegations of sending troops to Russia to support its military operations in Ukraine, calling the claims by Seoul “groundless rumors.” The statement came after South Korea’s spy agency reported that Pyongyang had deployed around 1,500 special forces troops to Russia’s Far East, allegedly preparing to engage in the Ukraine conflict.
A North Korean representative at the UN General Assembly firmly rejected these accusations, arguing they were an attempt to damage the “legitimate, friendly” relations between North Korea and Russia. Despite these denials, Seoul, Washington, and NATO have expressed concerns about growing military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, particularly following reports of North Korean weapons being supplied to Russia.
Although North Korean state media and Russia have not confirmed the troop deployment, the Russian ambassador to South Korea defended their military cooperation as not threatening Seoul’s security. The United States’ UN Ambassador, Robert Wood, warned that if the troop reports are accurate, it would mark a significant and dangerous escalation in North Korea-Russia relations.
Additionally, South Korea is considering sending a team to Ukraine to monitor the alleged North Korean presence, as part of efforts to analyze battlefield strategies and assist with potential interrogations of captured soldiers. These developments highlight ongoing global concerns over North Korea’s military role in the Ukraine conflict.
