Ministry of National Defense: "Significant Number of North Korean Troops Moving to Frontline Areas"

Jeon Ha-gyu Spokesperson "Follow-up Measures When Deployment to Ukraine Is Necessary"

It has been identified that over 10,000 North Korean soldiers are in Russia, and a significant number of them have moved to frontline areas, including the fiercely contested Kursk.

At a regular press briefing on the 5th, Jeon Ha-gyu, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, was asked, "Did the government delegation dispatched to Ukraine discuss the dispatch of our monitoring or observer team to Ukraine?" He explained, "The government delegation likely returned home yesterday, and I understand that after their return, necessary discussions, information sharing, and reviews will be conducted at the government level based on various findings confirmed on the ground in Ukraine."

He added, "After these processes are completed, if there are necessary matters, the Ministry of National Defense will take appropriate follow-up actions," and emphasized, "Currently, nothing has been specifically decided."

Regarding the question, "What was the reason for the Ministry of National Defense revising the overseas dispatch regulations last August to change the review of individual dispatches from a mandatory to an optional procedure?" the spokesperson replied, "This has been an issue under revision since early this year," and explained, "Regardless of the necessity or possibility of individual dispatches, the related regulations were amended to improve the irrationality of having to conduct reviews every time a request is made."

He further clarified that the revision was intended to resolve the problem of having to hold review committees unconditionally even when requests are made one to two weeks before dispatch or when the budget is not reflected, and that it was unrelated to the dispatch of the Ukraine observer team.

Regarding a domestic media report citing a government official that about 40 North Korean soldiers deployed to the frontline have already died in action, the spokesperson responded, "There is no information I can confirm."

Earlier, Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, said at a briefing on the 4th (local time), "(Secretary of State Tony Blinken) mentioned last week that 8,000 North Korean soldiers went to Kursk, but now we assess that up to 10,000 North Korean soldiers have gone to Kursk."

When asked whether North Korean soldiers are already participating in combat in Kursk, Miller said, "I have seen media reports that they are fighting," but added, "I cannot say that definitively."