North Korea Sends Thousands of Soldiers to Russia Amid Ukraine Conflict

SEOUL: Around 3,000 North Korean soldiers have reportedly been dispatched to Russia to bolster its efforts in the ongoing war with Ukraine, with an additional 10,000 troops expected to be deployed by December, as reported by South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS). According to Yonhap News Agency, the NIS revealed this information during a confidential session of the parliamentary intelligence committee, where it was shared with lawmakers. The agency has been monitoring North Korea's military movements closely and confirmed earlier dispatches of North Korean troops to Russia. The initial group of approximately 1,500 soldiers was transported last week, marking the beginning of North Korea's commitment to send around 10,000 troops to support Russia's military operations against Ukraine. The NIS's disclosure underscores the growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia amid international tensions and highlights the strategic alignments that are shaping the conflict in Ukraine. The impli cations of this troop deployment on regional stability and international diplomatic efforts remain to be seen.