South Korea sees signs of North Korea preparing more troops, drones for Russia

Author: Shin Hyun-hee

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s military said on Monday it had detected signs that North Korea was preparing to send more troops and weapons, including suicide drones, to Russia to support its war in Ukraine.

North Korea has supplied 240mm multiple rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled howitzers and is preparing to produce more suicide drones, testing them under the direction of leader Kim Jong Un last month, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) in Seoul. Later shipped to Russia.

“Suicide drones are one of the missions that Kim Jong Un is focused on,” a Joint Chiefs of Staff official said, adding that North Korea has expressed interest in handing them over to Russia.

Such drones have been widely used in Ukraine’s war, with Kim Jong Un ordering mass production of the aerial weapons and updating military doctrine and education, citing intensifying global competition, according to state media reports.

Seoul, Washington and Kiev have said there are about 12,000 North Korean troops in Russia. At least 1,100 of them were killed or injured, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, consistent with a briefing by South Korea’s spy agency last week.

The official said Pyongyang’s growing military ties with Moscow could pose a greater threat to Seoul as it modernizes and gains combat experience in its conventional forces, which are considered inferior to South Korea.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea has deployed as many as 10,000 troops to the heavily fortified border with North Korea in recent weeks, turning the area into a wasteland and installing roadblocks and barbed wire, though that number fell into the hundreds over the weekend. people.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff released photos purportedly showing a group of North Korean troops testing wire fencing with goats.

The report added that North Korea may also test-fire medium-range hypersonic missiles before the inauguration of US President-elect Trump before the end of the year, and launch more garbage balloons towards South Korea.

North Korea has launched thousands of balloons filled with garbage bags since late May, saying it was in response to balloons carrying propaganda leaflets distributed by South Korean activists.

“With Russia’s support, they may try various strategic provocations next year, such as launching intercontinental ballistic missiles and conducting nuclear tests, to enhance their negotiating power with the United States,” the official said.

(Reporting by Shin Hyun-hee; Editing by Ed Davis)