Russian State Media: "North Korea Proposes Deploying 100,000 Troops to Ukraine War"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russian state media reported that North Korea has proposed dispatching a force of 100,000 troops to Russia's front lines in Ukraine. As the prolonged war deepens shortages of personnel and weapons in Russia, there are concerns that the impact of the Ukraine war will expand to Asia, with Russia showing moves to procure troops and weapons from countries like North Korea and Iran.

According to Business Insider on the 7th (local time), Russian military expert Igor Korotchenko, appearing on Russia's state broadcaster Channel One Russia, stated, "There are reports that North Korea has proposed sending 100,000 support troops to help Russia win the war in Ukraine," adding, "They are all forces with extensive artillery combat experience." He further emphasized, "If North Korea wants to undertake an international mission fighting against Ukrainian fascists, it should be allowed."

Amid worsening economic difficulties in North Korea due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's struggles with shortages of weapons and personnel caused by the Ukraine war, their interests have aligned, leading to the interpretation that North Korea proposed dispatching troops to Russia as a means of earning foreign currency. It is also known that North Korea proposed to Russia plans to send about 1,000 workers to the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine after the war.

North Korea is officially known to have approximately 1.3 million troops deployed in active service, including 1.1 million in the army, 60,000 in the navy, and 110,000 in the air force. If the dispatch actually takes place, it is expected that the repercussions of the Ukraine war will have a significant impact on the future security situation in Northeast Asia.