Kim Yong-bok: Enigmatic leader behind North Korea's troops in Ukraine

Colonel General Kim Yong-bok, a little-known but high-ranking North Korean military leader, has been sent to Russia to oversee the deployment of North Korean troops in support of Moscow's war effort in Ukraine.

Despite being one of North Korea's top ten military figures, Kim rarely appears in public, making his presence in Russia a notable and enigmatic development.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Colonel General Kim, who holds the position of deputy chief of North Korea's army general staff, is tasked with integrating North Korean troops into Russian forces, providing them with combat experience, and facilitating the future deployment of more troops, Caliber.Az reports.

While he is not expected to take part in combat operations himself, his involvement signals Pyongyang’s continued commitment to supporting Russia through the next phase of the conflict.

The journal notes that Kim has largely operated in the shadows up until recently, particularly due to his command of North Korea’s special forces unit, which is responsible for secret missions in the event of war on the Korean peninsula. However, following Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea in June, Kim has become more visible. According to Kyung-joo Jeon of the Korea Institute for Defence Analysis, North Korea’s decision to bring Kim into the public eye reflects the desire to demonstrate to Russia that a trusted figure is overseeing the deployment of North Korean forces.

On November 1, Ukraine identified three high-ranking North Korean generals, including Kim, who are reportedly overseeing the deployment of at least 500 North Korean officers and thousands of troops in Russia. These North Korean units are being integrated into Russian forces to help obscure their presence. Ukrainian officials claimed that the deployment includes five formations of 2,000 to 3,000 soldiers each.

Although Russia has not denied the involvement of North Korean forces, it has defended its military cooperation with Pyongyang as legitimate, with Russian UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya stating that Moscow has the right to seek support from its allies. North Korea has also asserted that the deployment is in line with international law.

In addition to Kim, two other high-ranking North Korean officials have been identified in connection with the deployment. Colonel General Ri Chang Ho, Deputy Chief of the General Staff and head of the Reconnaissance General Bureau has also been linked to the operation. Ri, who has been sanctioned by South Korea for alleged cyber-hacking activities, has accompanied Kim Jong Un to several military inspections this year. Major General Sin Kum Cheol, Head of the Main Operational Directorate, is expected to take over command of the North Korean forces in Russia once Kim and Ri return to North Korea.

By Tamilla Hasanova