North Korea Draws Closer to Russia with Additional Troop Deployment... Why China Is Feeling the Pressure [AK Radio]

Additional 6,000 North Korean Engineering Troops Dispatched
Full-Scale Effort to Acquire Advanced Military Technology
North Korea-China Trade Drops by Over 5%

North Korea's decision to send an additional 6,000 engineering troops to Russia has introduced a new variable into the security landscape of Northeast Asia. With more than 14,000 combat troops already dispatched, the total number of North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia will exceed 20,000 if the additional deployment takes place. As the international community raises its voice, citing violations of sanctions against North Korea, there are also analyses suggesting that China is showing considerable discomfort with the situation.

The North Korean engineering troops being sent this time are expected to focus on defending occupied territories rather than engaging in combat. After recapturing the Kursk region, Russia is in urgent need of restoring damaged defensive facilities and strengthening its defenses against possible renewed incursions as Ukrainian forces return to the border area. The North Korean engineering unit is known for its ability to quickly carry out tasks such as laying mines and constructing defensive structures.

These units were previously mobilized under the orders of Kim Jongun for the construction of high-rise apartments in Pyongyang, the creation of new streets, and the building of military facilities. In North Korea, it is common to see soldiers working on construction sites with shovels and pickaxes, and they are reputed to "complete any project within a year." With ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine stalling and U.S. attention shifting to the Israel-Iran conflict, it appears that Russia is strengthening its border defenses in preparation for a prolonged war.

The previously dispatched 14,000 North Korean troops are credited with successfully pushing Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region, but it is reported that around 6,000 casualties have occurred. Of these, it is estimated that 3,000 to 4,000 soldiers have died. Despite these significant losses, North Korea’s decision to send additional troops is seen as motivated by more than just the pursuit of foreign currency.

On the 17th, Kim Jongun, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea (right), is greeting Sergey Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, who visited North Korea (left). Following this meeting, Russian media reported that North Korea has sent an additional 6,000 troops to Russia. Photo by Yonhap News

What North Korea seeks through this troop deployment is access to Russia's advanced military technology. North Korea has attempted to develop miniaturized nuclear warheads, hypersonic missile technology, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and military reconnaissance satellites on its own, but has repeatedly faced significant limitations and many failures. Such advanced technologies cannot be acquired simply by copying weapons without external technical cooperation.

This year is particularly significant for North Korea, as it marks the final year of Kim Jongun’s “Five-Year Plan for the Development of North Korean Weapons Systems,” which he announced would run from 2021 to 2025. North Korea is under pressure to show tangible results. The country has repeatedly failed to advance its reconnaissance satellite technology, which it has emphasized as a priority, and is therefore likely seeking to acquire related technology from Russia during this opportunity.

Within North Korea, dissatisfaction with the troop deployments is rising. Regardless of social status, there is widespread discontent among residents because the bodies of soldiers sent abroad often do not return to their families. Despite this political burden, the large-scale deployment underscores North Korea’s desperation to obtain advanced military technology.

China has not officially commented on North Korea’s troop deployments to Russia, but there are signs that relations between the two countries are deteriorating. Recently, North Korean forces have tightened security in border areas with China, increasing surveillance and crackdowns on Chinese nationals entering the country, and remain vigilant regarding Chinese military movements.

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jongun visited an important munitions industry enterprise on the 13th and inspected the shell production site. Photo by Yonhap News

2024 marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between North Korea and China, but related events were not properly held, and bilateral trade volume decreased by 5% compared to the previous year. Analysts suggest that North Korea is attempting to reduce its dependence on China and create distance by introducing Russia as a new variable. China is concerned about North Korea’s actions because, in the event of a crisis on the Korean Peninsula, its ability to control North Korea could be weakened. The mutual assistance treaty signed by Kim Jongun and Vladimir Putin in June of last year includes provisions for possible military intervention in emergencies, leaving open the possibility of Russian military involvement in Korean Peninsula affairs.

China, facing the prospect of a clash with the United States in the Taiwan Strait, needs to stabilize the Korean Peninsula in order to concentrate its forces on Taiwan. However, if North Korea engages in military provocations or creates instability with Russia, China may find it difficult to control North Korea, making it harder to focus its resources in a confrontation with the United States.

North Korea’s troop deployments to Russia are significant in the medium to long term, as they mark the emergence of Russia as a new variable in the security dynamics of the Korean Peninsula. In the short term, the most concerning aspect is that North Korea has acquired extensive counter-drone warfare technology through its deployments. North Korean troops sent to Russia have received intensive training in drone operations and tactics and strategy at Russian training centers. Separately from the 6,000 engineering troops, North Korea is expected to send 25,000 technicians to drone production factories. Once these personnel acquire the necessary skills and return to North Korea, it is anticipated that the country will begin mass-producing drones.

Since the Korean War, North Korea has had no external war experience and has conducted very little actual combat training, making it difficult to assess its real combat capabilities. However, through these deployments, North Korean troops have gained real combat experience and, in particular, have accumulated significant expertise and know-how in counter-drone warfare. Given the proximity of Seoul and the Demilitarized Zone, small drones could easily reach South Korean territory. There are growing concerns that if North Korea were to launch a drone-based military provocation in a major urban area, it would be difficult to develop effective countermeasures.

North Korea’s air force has traditionally been weaker than its naval and ground forces, but it is now believed that drone warfare technology could sufficiently compensate for this weakness. There is a clear difference between having experience and training in actual drone warfare, and it is now time to thoroughly prepare for the increasingly sophisticated drone threat posed by North Korea.