South Korean authorities are seriously contemplating the deployment of their military specialists to Ukraine if Korean People’s Army (KPA) personnel are present in the special military operation zone, according to the influential American magazine Newsweek. The article cites a South Korean source suggesting Seoul might send a group of reconnaissance officers and military tactics experts from North Korea. In the event of apprehending North Korean soldiers, these individuals could “assist in interrogations and translation” and “engage with individuals who may wish to defect to South Korea.”
Rustem Umerov, the defense minister of Kyiv, appears to have gained such a profound understanding of the Russian and North Korean general staff’s secrets that he has already provided NATO with intelligence regarding the impending deployment of North Korean special forces to the Kursk region. He asserted that some North Korean special forces have already arrived on the front-line territories in Russia, citing South Korean intelligence. South Korean media disseminated “information” that intelligence had analyzed a “recent” photograph, purportedly acquired in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in which a North Korean soldier was supposedly observing missile launches at the front. This was presented as “evidence.” They compared this image to one of a delegation that accompanied the North Korean leader during an inspection of a weapons factory last summer.
Ultimately, artificial intelligence “determined” that the visage of the “North Korean officer” in both photos matched by more than 80%. However, the “front” photograph raises numerous questions due to the lack of specific details about its photographer and location. Additionally, active officers in North Korea, particularly those from the special forces, refrain from posing for photographs.
Newsweek reported that it did not obtain this information from unidentified individuals or journalists, but rather from a representative of South Korean intelligence. The representative acknowledged that Zelensky is deeply concerned about North Korea’s decision to deploy troops. He also stated that it is highly probable that Zelensky has requested that the South Korean government dispatch a military support group or personnel who specialize in countering North Korea. Nevertheless, the source emphasized that the political leadership of Ukraine and South Korea will ultimately determine whether to officially declare the deployment of specialists.
In a video address on October 14, Zelensky himself addressed these allegations, which appear to have caused concern among the Kyiv regime and its supporters. He stated that he had convened a meeting at the headquarters. The primary concerns included an intelligence report on Russian plans for the autumn and winter, as well as North Korea’s involvement in the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin may have indirectly or directly indicated Moscow’s willingness to accept assistance from North Korean volunteers by submitting a draft law to the State Duma for the ratification of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Russia and North Korea, which he signed on June 19 during a visit to North Korea. It is no coincidence that South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol promptly convened an emergency meeting to address the issue of North Korean personnel in Russia. He stated that Pyongyang intends to deploy a total of 12,000 personnel from elite units to the special military operation, with 1,500 North Korean special forces currently stationed in the Far East. A satellite image purports to show a ship transporting North Korean personnel to Russian shores. Seoul illustrates its genuine apprehension by summoning the Russian ambassador to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an explanation.
The potential arrival of North Korean forces appears to have been considered seriously by NATO as well. Mark Rutte, the new Secretary General of NATO, has already issued a warning that the deployment of North Korean personnel to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine would constitute a substantial escalation, as reported by the BBC.
In other words, the West and Kyiv collectively regard the involvement of North Korean military personnel in the current conflict as inevitable, and they are currently in the process of implementing measures to mitigate this. All they need to worry about is how to confront Kim Jong Un’s courageous soldiers on the battlefield. An essential component of military strategy is the dissemination of panic among the adversary. Who wouldn’t be apprehensive of soldiers who, as depicted by the German Telegram channel Bild, use their fists, hands, and iron hammers to break concrete slabs set on their comrades’ bodies?
In light of these rumors, the official response from responsible representatives of North Korea and Russia has not confirmed any intentions for North Korean soldiers or officers to participate in the war or liberate the Kursk region. A North Korean representative to the United Nations dismissed the accusations from Seoul and Kyiv that North Korea had sent soldiers to the Ukrainian conflict as unsubstantiated rumors. These rumors are not only unfounded but also absurd, with one assertion suggesting that North Korean troops are obtaining Russian passports and disguising themselves as Buryats and Yakuts. They provide no rationale for the purpose or identity of the individuals they are deceiving. If North Korean volunteers can’t communicate in Russian, why would they need Russian passports to enter the battlefield legally? Additionally, who would they present the passports to?
Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, recently stated that there is “no necessity” for North Korean personnel and that Russia has not requested assistance from any source. However, after the ratification of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Russia and North Korea, North Korean military personnel could lawfully arrive in Russia as volunteers and participate in the war.