SEOUL, South Korea — On Friday, South Korea’s military expressed suspicions that North Korea is gearing up to deploy additional soldiers to Russia in light of significant losses its troops have incurred in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea shared this assessment in a statement released to the media, highlighting North Korea’s ongoing preparations to conduct test-firings of intercontinental ballistic missiles aimed at the United States.
The possibility of President Donald Trump returning to the White House might enhance North Korea’s chances for higher-level diplomacy with the U.S., given his previous meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his first term. Analysts suggest that Kim may believe that his advancing nuclear ambitions and bolstered military relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin could offer him more leverage compared to their 2018-19 discussions.
Reports from U.S., South Korean, and Ukrainian intelligence indicate that North Korea has been providing substantial quantities of artillery and other conventional arms to Russia. Furthermore, last October, an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 North Korean troops were sent to Russia. Concerns abound that as a quid pro quo, Russia could supply North Korea with advanced weapon technology that would bolster its nuclear program.
While North Korean troops are reputed for their high level of discipline and training, their inexperience in combat, alongside their unfamiliarity with the vast flat terrains of the Ukrainian battlegrounds, has rendered them vulnerable to drone and artillery assaults. Last week, South Korea’s intelligence agency reported approximately 300 North Korean soldiers have perished, with around 2,700 others sustaining injuries. In earlier comments in January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned that the toll could reach 4,000, contrasted by U.S. estimates suggesting a figure close to 1,200.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff indicated that North Korea is believed to be hastening preparations to dispatch more personnel to Russia, although they did not provide details on how this conclusion was drawn. The growing military collaboration between North Korea and Russia may bolster Kim’s confidence in future interactions with the U.S. and South Korea. At a significant political conference last month, Kim pledged to pursue the “toughest” policies against the U.S. Nonetheless, some analysts speculate that Kim may ultimately seek dialogue with Trump if he feels such discussions could yield favorable outcomes.
Previous negotiations between the two leaders collapsed when Trump rejected Kim’s proposition to dismantle a key nuclear facility in exchange for extensive sanctions relief. Following that fallout, Kim has considerably intensified his weapons testing, aiming to expand an arsenal of nuclear missiles targeting the U.S. and South Korea. In South Korea, there are growing worries that Trump might shift focus from achieving complete denuclearization in North Korea to merely addressing its long-range missile program, which poses a direct threat to the United States, while maintaining North Korea’s nuclear capabilities directed at South Korea.
In a recent interview aired on Fox News, Trump referred to Kim as “a smart guy” and remarked that he would indeed reach out to him again. Trump stated on Monday that North Korea is “a nuclear power” while boasting about his personal relationship with Kim, which sparked controversy in South Korea, as U.S. and South Korean officials have refrained from officially acknowledging North Korea as a nuclear state due to concerns that it might legitimize its nuclear ambitions in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
“I had a good rapport with him; he liked me, and I liked him,” Trump said during a press briefing at the Oval Office after his inauguration, acknowledging North Korea’s nuclear status. “Now he is a nuclear power. But we got along. I think he’ll be pleased to see my return.”
In response to these developments, Jeon Ha Gyu, a spokesperson for the South Korean Defense Ministry, reiterated the importance of continuing efforts aimed at North Korea’s denuclearization, emphasizing it is essential for achieving enduring peace not only in the Korean Peninsula but globally as well. Additionally, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry stated it intends to work closely with the Trump administration to pursue North Korea’s denuclearization.
North Korea has yet to issue any response to Trump’s remarks. A report from North Korean state media on a recent parliamentary meeting did not indicate whether Kim was in attendance, and it notably omitted any mention of the U.S., South Korea, Russia, or other international relations topics.
