South Korea warns of possible new deployment of 30,000 North Korean troops in Russia
Seoul analyzes a possible deployment of 30,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia after Zelensky warned about Pyongyang military cooperation with Moscow.
South Korea investigates military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on Monday, July 27, 2026, that it is analyzing a possible deployment of about 30,000 North Korean soldiers on Russian territory. The news comes a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned about Russian preparations to receive that contingent.
“The government is closely following events related to military cooperation between North Korea and Russia,” Seoul stated, also arguing that this cooperation violates UN Security Council resolutions and must end immediately. South Korean government sources noted that, so far, there are no confirmed signs of an additional deployment.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov avoided confirming the information. He stated there is “no need to comment” and that it is not Zelensky who should discuss these plans.
Thousands of soldiers already fighting on the Ukrainian front
North Korea is estimated to have already deployed about 20,000 soldiers and military engineers to support Russian war efforts, of which nearly 14,000 are currently at the front in Ukraine. North Korea had previously sent thousands of soldiers to Russia’s Kursk region between 2024 and 2025 to contain the Ukrainian counteroffensive, in addition to supplying weapons and ammunition to Moscow.
South Korea estimates that about 2,000 North Korean soldiers have died in combat since the start of these deployments, a figure that reflects Pyongyang’s level of involvement in the conflict.
The week before this new episode, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui traveled to Moscow and met with President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a meeting that fueled speculation about deeper military collaboration between the two countries. Cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow has deepened since the start of the war in Ukraine, consolidating as one of the most visible pillars of international support Russia receives amid Western sanctions.
Seoul keeps the investigation into this possible new contingent open, while the international community watches closely the evolution of an alliance that, according to analysts, has altered the balance of forces on Ukraine’s eastern front.