North Korea poised to send more troops to Russia after heavy losses South Korea warns

South Korea’s military announced on January 24 that it suspects North Korea is preparing to send additional troops to Russia to support its war efforts in Ukraine, despite heavy casualties among North Korean soldiers already deployed.

In a statement, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea’s soldiers in the Russian-Ukraine war have faced significant losses, attributing this to their lack of combat experience and unfamiliarity with the flat terrain of Ukraine’s battlefields, Caliber.Az reports via international media sources.

Drones and artillery strikes have reportedly been particularly devastating.

According to intelligence from the US, South Korea, and Ukraine, North Korea has been supplying Russia with artillery and other conventional weapons while deploying around 10,000–12,000 troops to Russia last October. Recent estimates indicate that hundreds of these soldiers have died, with thousands more injured.

In addition to troop deployment, the Joint Chiefs of Staff assessed that North Korea is continuing preparations to test an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States.

The potential return of Donald Trump to the White House could reshape North Korea’s diplomatic strategy. During his first term, Trump held three meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and many experts believe Kim views his growing nuclear program and military alliance with Russian President Vladimir Putin as leverage for future negotiations.

At the heart of the concern is the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. Analysts warn that Moscow could provide North Korea with advanced weapons technology, potentially boosting its nuclear capabilities in exchange for continued support in Ukraine.

Kim Jong Un recently vowed to implement a tougher anti-US stance during a political conference. However, experts speculate that Kim might eventually seek talks with Trump, leveraging his expanded arsenal of nuclear missiles targeting the US and South Korea.

The 2018–2019 talks between Trump and Kim collapsed after Trump rejected Kim’s offer to dismantle a key nuclear complex in exchange for sanctions relief. Since then, Kim has accelerated weapons tests, pushing the boundaries of North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

In South Korea, officials worry that Trump might prioritize eliminating North Korea’s long-range missile program, which poses a direct threat to the US, while neglecting the broader goal of denuclearization. South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha Gyu emphasized the importance of maintaining efforts to fully denuclearize North Korea as a prerequisite for lasting peace.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry stated it would work closely with the Trump administration to achieve this goal, reiterating the importance of global coordination to address North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

By Tamilla Hasanova