North Korean Troops Integrated Into Russian Forces, May Become Cannon Fodder In Ukraine War’: South Korea
North Korean Troops Integrated Into Russian Forces, May Become Cannon Fodder In Ukraine War’: South Korea
Amid the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, South Korea’s Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun revealed on Thursday that North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia have been assigned to Russian military units at the platoon level, with a high possibility they will be used as “cannon fodder” in high-risk zones.
Kim made this statement during a Parliamentary Defence Committee session, in response to a question from a ruling party lawmaker regarding intelligence reports that North Korean troops are being integrated into Russian forces at the company level, organized in platoon-sized groups. The information was reported by Yonhap News Agency.
“It should be noted that the war is led by Russia, and from the stance of heads of the Russian military units, they are likely to send the North Korean platoons to the most dangerous and difficult areas,” Kim was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
North Korean Troops Integrated Into Russian Forces, May Become Cannon Fodder In Ukraine War’: South Korea
Kim reiterated his stance on South Korea’s involvement in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, suggesting the potential deployment of a military monitoring team. While Kim emphasized his support for the deployment, he acknowledged that the South Korean Defence Ministry is not currently engaged in talks on the matter, indicating that discussions are taking place at the government level.
This comes in the wake of reports by Ukrainian officials, who claimed that North Korean soldiers have been integrated into Russian military units, often disguised as indigenous people or part of ethnic minority groups.
In response to the possibility of South Korea providing weapons to Kyiv, Kim emphasized that South Korea would “work in solidarity with the international community” instead of directly commenting on the matter.
This statement came after a Ukrainian delegation, led by Ukraine’s Defense Minister, visited Seoul on Wednesday for discussions with President Yoon Suk Yeol, National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik, and Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.
The delegation presented intelligence regarding the increasing military collaboration between Russia and North Korea, and explored coordinated responses to emerging security threats, according to the presidential office. However, specifics about the shared intelligence and whether the delegation sought South Korea’s assistance with weapons were not disclosed at this time.For 1st time in years, Syrian rebels launch offensive against Bashar al-Assad’s forces
