North Korean Troops Allegedly Moving to Russian War Front Lines, Says South Korean Spy Agency.

SEOUL: An advance team of North Korean troops, led by a high-ranking Army general, is reportedly advancing to the front lines of the war in Russia near Ukraine, according to South Korea's spy agency, which informed lawmakers on Tuesday. According to Yonhap News Agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) has gathered intelligence on this troop movement and is in the process of verifying the details, as revealed by Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the ruling People Power Party and Rep. Park Sun-won of the main opposition Democratic Party. The NIS shared this information with lawmakers during a confidential parliamentary audit. The lawmakers quoted the NIS as stating that they are verifying intelligence suggesting that Kim Yong Bok, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, is part of the advance unit moving to the front line. The NIS referred to Kim as being already involved in the deployment related to the KN-23 missile, North Korea's short-range ballistic missile. Kim is known to be a close aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and is reportedly in Russia to oversee the North Korean troops dispatched for the conflict against Ukraine. The NIS indicated that the deployment of North Korean troops to the Kursk border region near Ukraine, a critical battlefield Russia has been struggling to reclaim after a Ukrainian incursion in August, "is imminent." It is estimated that most North Korean soldiers sent to Russia are in their early 20s, with some possibly in their late teens. Despite their age, they should not be underestimated as they are likely to have undergone intensive training as special forces, known as the "Storm Corps." The report also noted challenges in communication due to language barriers, despite Russian military efforts to teach over 100 military terms in Russian to the North Korean soldiers. The NIS assessed that a Russian aircraft flying between Moscow and Pyongyang on October 23-24 likely carried key Russian security officials involved in North Korea's troop deployment. The age ncy projects that a total of 10,900 North Korean troops will be deployed to Russia by December. In connection with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's visit to Russia, the NIS suggested she likely discussed further deployments and compensation for the troops. The agency also warned of potential North Korean provocations, including the launch of hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missiles or intercontinental ballistic missiles. With technological cooperation from Russia, North Korea appears prepared to relaunch a military reconnaissance satellite after a failed attempt in May and is closely monitoring the possibility of a seventh nuclear test following the U.S. presidential elections. The NIS also reported that around 4,000 North Korean workers have been sent to Russia this year. On Monday, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia's western front-line Kursk region, a move feared to exacerbate the ongoing war in Ukraine. Regarding U kraine's claim that over 3,000 "mercenaries" from North Korea have started training in Kursk, the NIS acknowledged this as a possibility but could not confirm Kyiv's assertion. When questioned about the South Korean government's consideration of sending a team to Kyiv to monitor North Korean troops, the NIS stated it was inappropriate to use terms like "inspection team" or "interrogation team," but did not clarify any plans to send such a team. However, the NIS mentioned it was "worth reviewing" the option, highlighting it as a "rare opportunity" to gather military intelligence. The agency added that the South Korean government would be obligated to accept North Korean soldiers if they sought defection to the South.