According to Reuters on the 29th, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on the 28th that more than 8,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed within Russian territory, and that Pyongyang is preparing to deploy an additional 10,000 troops.
Zelenskyy stated in a social media post that, based on "new data" regarding the deployment of North Korean forces into Russia, these troops "are being selected for training and subsequently deployed to Russia."
Reuters reported that last month, Zelenskyy had indicated that up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers could be sent to fight in Russia, and called on South Korea to support Ukraine’s air defense efforts.
However, tensions have arisen between Ukraine and South Korea over the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war.
On the 23rd local time, during his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had handed over two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. "These individuals are not easy to capture. One attempted suicide upon realizing he was about to be taken prisoner."
The announcement prompted strong backlash from South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. In a statement posted on social media, Lee expressed deep regret that Ukraine had publicly disclosed the transfer, violating a prior understanding between the two sides to keep the matter confidential. "The repatriation of North Korean prisoners is a highly sensitive issue with significant implications for diplomacy, national security, and the situation on the Korean Peninsula."
Ukrainian sources stated that no such non-public agreement had been established between the two countries. This clarification further intensified South Korea’s dissatisfaction. On the 27th, the presidential office issued a statement saying it "expressed strong regret over Ukraine’s unilateral disclosure and subsequent false claim that no confidentiality agreement existed." The statement demanded a formal apology from Ukraine on the matter.
According to Reuters, Ukrainian and South Korean assessments estimate that North Korea has dispatched approximately 14,000 to 15,000 soldiers to Russia since 2024, with the majority deployed in the Kursk region to assist in repelling Ukrainian offensives.
Additionally, assessments by Ukraine and independent institutions indicate that North Korea has also supplied Russia with millions of artillery and mortar shells, as well as ballistic missiles, long-range artillery systems, and multiple rocket launcher systems.
Source: Xinhua News Agency’s “East-West Dialogue”
Original: toutiao.com/article/7690810317462356489/
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