On Wednesday, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported that North Korea has deployed around 3,000 troops to Russia, with an expectation of sending an additional 10,000 by December.
This information was revealed during a closed meeting of the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee, as committee members Lee Seong Kwon of the People Power Party and Park Sun Won of the Democratic Party reported.
The NIS indicated that the primary troops deployed belong to a special operations unit known as the elite 11th Storm Corps, which appears to be acclimating to local conditions at various training facilities across Russia.
The agency added, “Approximately 1,500 additional troops seem to have been dispatched recently, bringing the estimated total of personnel sent to Russia to around 3,000.” They also acknowledged the possibility of more troops being deployed, noting, “While there may be some discrepancies in the numbers, we believe our estimate is roughly accurate. We anticipate that the planned deployment of around 10,000 troops between Russia and North Korea will occur by December.”
In its assessment of the situation in North Korea, the NIS reported that “North Korean authorities are keeping information about the troop deployments confidential. However, rumors have begun circulating among the public that the Storm Corps has been sent to Russia. Reports indicate that family members of the selected soldiers are showing visible signs of distress. In response to this unrest, North Korean authorities are implementing strict secrecy measures and have reportedly relocated the families of deployed soldiers to undisclosed locations for more effective oversight.”
Regarding developments in Russia, the NIS noted, “We have confirmed that the Russian military is actively recruiting a significant number of Korean language interpreters. Additionally, they are providing North Korean troops with training on military equipment, including specialized instruction in drone operations. Russian instructors involved in this training have observed that while North Korean soldiers demonstrate strong physical fitness and high morale, they lack a grasp of modern warfare tactics, such as drone attacks. The instructors predict that significant casualties may arise if these troops are deployed to the front lines.”
Park Sun Won indicated that the NIS has identified several motives behind North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia, including “strengthening the North Korea-Russia military alliance, preparing for potential Russian intervention in South Korea during a conflict, addressing economic challenges, and accelerating military modernization.”
He added, “There has been considerable debate about the reasons behind this situation, with some pointing to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
Lee Seong Kwon stated that while “there will be corresponding economic compensation” for North Korea’s troop deployment, he could not specify the exact scale of that compensation at this time.