Berlin expresses thoughts on potential North Korean soldiers in Ukraine.
It seems that North Korea and Russia are enhancing their military ties further. Besides delivering artillery shells and missiles, South Korea's intelligence agency indicates the mobilization of numerous soldiers for deployment in Ukraine. Now, the German government is urging North Korea's leader.
A German government representative has expressed displeasure over rumors of North Korea intending to aid Russia's military in Ukraine with soldiers. "We've noticed a progressively close military alliance between Russia and North Korea, such as weapon transfers. This is highly concerning," the Foreign Office's spokesperson told Reuters news agency. "We're also monitoring reports of the dispatch of soldiers from the Eastern Asian nation with apprehension," they continued. "We request North Korea to halt its immediate support for Russia's unlawful aggression against Ukraine."
Prior to this, South Korea and Ukraine reported that North Korea was assisting Russia's attack, not just through missiles. As per Yonhap news agency, South Korea, North Korea intends to send a total of 12,000 soldiers to Russia. Counterintelligence is the source of this information, with 1,500 soldiers reportedly already dispatched to support Russia's war against Ukraine. These soldiers reportedly reached Vladivostok via Russian ships, where they're being readied for involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.
According to the NIS (National Intelligence Service), soldiers will receive Russian uniforms and false identities to camouflage their real origin. The South Korean intelligence service backs its info with satellite images and facial recognition technology, employed in conjunction with the Ukrainian intelligence service.
NATO: No evident proof yet
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had accused North Korea on Thursday of preparing thousands of soldiers to bolster the Russian army. NATO's head, Mark Rutte, commented that there is still no evidence of North Korean soldiers' presence in Russia. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also expressed a similar view.
The deployment of soldiers could pose a significant risk of heightening the conflict, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha in Kyiv, demanding an "instant and robust reaction" from Ukraine's allies. If such a scenario unfolds, it would be "the first stride towards a world war," Zelenskyy warned. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol also identified this as a serious security hazard "not only for our country, but also for the global community" during an emergency meeting with intelligence, military, and security officials.
North Korea allegedly maintains a 1.28 million-strong active army, making it one of the largest standing armies globally. The Pyongyang leadership has driven the development of ballistic missiles and a nuclear weapons arsenal. However, the soldiers lack actual battle experience, and their equipment does not match that of other nations.
The European Union, being a strong advocate for international peace and security, has expressed concern over these developments. In response to these allegations, a spokesperson for the European External Action Service stated, "We are closely monitoring the situation and strongly condemn any form of military support to Russia from external sources, including the European Union's neighbor, North Korea."
