South Korean Intelligence: North Korea Sends Another 5,000 Troops to Russia

Since the beginning of autumn, North Korea (DPRK) has sent another 5,000 troops to Russia, according to South Korean intelligence.

Euractiv reported on this, citing South Korean lawmaker Lee Sung-kwon, who referred to information from the country’s intelligence services.

It is stated that these are military construction workers who will reportedly be involved in rebuilding Russian infrastructure.

The lawmaker told journalists that “about 5,000 North Korean military construction workers have been gradually moving to Russia since September and are expected to be mobilized for infrastructure reconstruction.”

According to him, there are also ongoing signs of training and personnel selection as part of preparations for additional troop deployments.

South Korean intelligence estimates that around 10,000 North Korean troops are currently deployed near the Russian-Ukrainian border.

According to estimates by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), about 2,000 North Korean soldiers were killed while participating in combat operations on Russia’s side in Ukraine as of early September.

South Korean and Western intelligence sources report that North Korea deployed more than 10,000 troops in Russia in 2024, mainly to the Kursk region. Along with the troops, artillery shells, missiles, and long-range systems were also supplied.

North Korea officially acknowledged its troops’ participation in the war only in April 2025.

Meanwhile, two North Korean soldiers captured jointly by Ukrainian special forces and paratroopers in the Kursk region have requested to be transferred to South Korea.

They made this request during the recording of an interview for a documentary film, the filming of which was coordinated by South Korean human rights activists from Gyeore-eol Nation United. This is not the first such request from them.

According to the prisoners, they are members of the Reconnaissance General Bureau (정찰총국) under the Army General Staff. One of the captives, a 26-year-old soldier, is named Ri, and the other, a 21-year-old, is named Paek. They held the positions of reconnaissance sniper and rifleman, respectively.