North Korea prepares to supply kamikaze drones and deploy troops in Russia – Seoul

South Korea's military has reported that North Korea is likely preparing to deploy additional troops and military equipment to Russia, potentially including kamikaze drones, in support of Moscow's war against Ukraine.

Source: South Korean news agency Yonhap with reference to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)

Details: Such an assessment comes amid reports that North Korea has sent thousands of troops to fight alongside Russia in the war against Ukraine, with casualties estimated by South Korea's intelligence agency to be around 1,100.

Quote from JCS: "A comprehensive assessment of multiple intelligence shows that North Korea is preparing to rotate or increase the deployment of troops [in Russia], while currently supplying 240 millimetre rocket launchers and 170 mm self-propelled artillery."

"There are also some signs of [North Korea] moving to manufacture and supply suicide drones, first unveiled during Kim Jong Un's on-site inspection in November."

Details: The JCS explained that this move reflects North Korea's efforts to gain practical combat experience and modernise its conventional weapons systems.

North Korean state media reported last month that Kim Jong Un observed tests of various types of kamikaze drones and called for their large-scale production, emphasising the growing importance of this cost-effective weapon in modern warfare.

The JCS added that they have not detected any specific signs of provocations from North Korea as the country focuses on expanding military cooperation with Russia and maintaining internal stability ahead of a key party congress at the end of 2024.

Nevertheless, South Korea's military has acknowledged the possibility of an unforeseen provocation by North Korea, potentially aligned with a major political event, such as the test launch of a medium-range ballistic missile featuring a hypersonic warhead.

Quote from JCS: "As the North has to concentrate on supporting Russia next year, it is likely to feel burdened by [the possibility of] causing military tension or conflicts that could lead to the creation of a new war front."

Previously: Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SOF) reported that documents seized from three North Korean soldiers killed in Kursk Oblast display signs of forgery. Documents like these are likely being used by Russia to conceal the presence of North Korean military personnel.

Background:

• On 7 November, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in Kursk Oblast, Russia, had already suffered losses.
• US officials confirmed that North Korean troops had been involved in combat operations in Russia's Kursk Oblast for the first time.
• The New York Times reported that 50,000 Russian and North Korean soldiers were preparing to launch a large-scale counteroffensive in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
• On 15 December, the Ukrainian military posted photos and videos showing Russian and North Korean soldiers killed in assaults in Kursk Oblast.
• Later, The New York Times, with reference to a senior US Department of Defense official, reported that Ukrainian forces might have killed or wounded "hundreds" of soldiers sent by North Korea to assist Russia in its war against Ukraine.

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