Seoul: North Korea has sent about 5,000 engineering troops to Russia to assist in reconstruction
AFP Seoul, 4th - South Korean National Assembly member Lee Sung-gwon said today that according to a briefing from the South Korean National Intelligence Service, North Korea has dispatched about 5,000 construction personnel to Russia since September to assist in "infrastructure reconstruction work."
After the Russia-Ukraine war prompted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to send thousands of soldiers to the Ukrainian battlefield to assist Russian forces, Moscow provided key support.
Lee said at a press conference: "Since September, about 5,000 North Korean engineers have been deployed in batches to Russia, and it is expected that they will be mobilized for basic infrastructure reconstruction work."
He also pointed out that South Korea continues to find signs that North Korea is training and screening personnel, preparing for additional troop deployments.
Lee said that the South Korean National Intelligence Service told the National Assembly that the number of North Korean troops currently deployed near the Russia-Ukraine border is estimated to be about 10,000.
According to North Korea's estimate, at least 600 North Korean soldiers have died in Ukraine, with thousands more injured.
Analysts say that by sending troops to support Russia, North Korea has obtained financial aid, military technology, food, and energy from Moscow. This allows North Korea to bypass the impact of strict international sanctions.
These sanctions were imposed to punish North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs, and were previously an important bargaining chip for the United States.
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