North Korea has sent fighter pilots to Russia to assist in the war against Ukraine, according to multiple reports from outlets including Newsweek and the BBC.
The fighter pilots are among the estimated 1,500 troops that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has dispatched to Russia.
A South Korean government official has reportedly claimed that North Korean fighter pilots were being sent to Vladivostok, Russia as early as September 2024.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service stated that the troops were transported to the Kremlin via Russian ships and began training under the Russian military after arrival. Once training finishes, the North Korean troops are expected to be deployed to the frontline in Ukraine.
A 2021 report by the United States Defense Intelligence Agency said that North Korea possesses over 900 combat aircraft, the majority of them acquired from Russia, including Su-25 ground-attack aircraft and MiG-29 fighter jets.
Meanwhile, a report by the Associated Press claims that, in response to North Korea sending troops to the Kremlin, South Korea is considering supplying aid and weapons to Ukraine.
The South Korean government is said to be concerned that Russia may bolster North Korea’s nuclear armament in return for sending troops to join its battle against Ukraine.
South Korean news agency Yonhap also stated that Seoul is considering sending intelligence personnel to Kyiv to monitor any North Korean troops’ involvement in the war.
South Korea’s spy agency said that, since August 2023, North Korea had sent more than 13,000 containers of artillery, missiles, and other conventional arms to Russia in response to its dwindling weapons stockpiles.
The US, UK, and Japan have all condemned the deepening ties between North Korea and Russia. British Foreign Minister David Lammy was quoted by the BBC as saying that Russia’s actions were “reckless and illegal”, adding that London would work with Seoul to respond.
The last time that North Korea sent its troops overseas was between 1965 and 1973, to fight alongside the North Vietnamese Army (People’s Army of Vietnam) during the Vietnam War.