A combat role for Pyongyang's troops risks a third state intervening in the conflict triggered by Moscow's invasion in 2022.

South Korea has reported that thousands of North Korean troops are currently on the ground in Russia and ready to support the war against Ukraine, including in the front-line Kursk region.

More than 10,000 North Korean soldiers have arrived in Russia, Seoul's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. The report follows similar announcements from Ukraine and the United States, with growing fears that the deployment of Pyongyang's forces on the battlefield could mean an escalation of the war involving a third country.

“More than 10,000 North Korean soldiers are currently in Russia, and we expect a significant number of them to be stationed in frontline areas, including Kursk,” spokesman Jeon Ha-kyou said at a briefing.

The comments came hours after the US Pentagon said at least 10,000 North Korean soldiers were in Kursk. After an invasion that began in August, Ukrainian armed forces control parts of the border region.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, about 12,000 North Korean soldiers, including 500 officers and three generals, are in Russia and are undergoing training at military bases there.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a response from Western allies in a social media post.

Today we discussed the Kursk operation with our military leadership, marking almost three months of active operations in the Kursk region. This is an important operation – we maintain this “buffer zone” in designated areas near our state border.

We must also recognize the value of… pic.twitter.com/o8vZQoSCoL

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 4, 2024

“Currently, eleven thousand (North Korean military personnel) are already stationed in the Kursk region,” he wrote. “We are seeing an increase in North Korean forces, but unfortunately we are not seeing an increase in the response from our partners.”

Legitimate target

Kiev and Western officials have warned that North Korean soldiers could be deployed immediately on the battlefield against Ukraine. United Nations diplomats have expressed hope that they could instead be deployed behind the front lines and limited to logistical and other non-combat tasks.

The US warned on Monday that Pyongyang's troops would become legitimate military targets if they came into play.

“All indications are that they will provide some sort of combat or combat support capability,” Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said. “We fully expect the Ukrainians to do what they need to do to defend themselves and their personnel.”

Seoul spokesman Jeon said he could not confirm whether North Korean troops were now in combat. South Korean media reported that up to 40 North Korean soldiers were killed on the battlefield.

Officials in Kiev said Monday that North Korean troops had already been attacked on the battlefield by Ukrainian forces.

“The first military personnel of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have already come under fire in the Kursk region,” wrote the head of the Ukrainian Center for Combating Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, on Telegram.

“Provocations”

Pyongyang's supply of weapons and troops to Russia also raised concerns about what Moscow might do for Kim in return.

At a meeting in Seoul on Monday, South Korean Foreign and Trade Minister Cho Tae-yul and European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell expressed “deep concern” about the possible transfer of Russian nuclear or ballistic missile technology to North Korea.

Apparently just in time for the start of the US presidential election, Pyongyang fired a volley of ballistic missiles towards the sea off the east coast of the Korean peninsula on Tuesday.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said shortly afterwards that the missile tests were a response to US “provocations” and a justified security measure.