North Korea Could Send 100,000 Troops to Russia—What’s Really Happening?

Following the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty between Russia and North Korea, Ukrainian officials project that Pyongyang could deploy up to 100,000 troops to support Russia’s military efforts. This new agreement, viewed as a basis for North Korean military involvement and technological cooperation, has raised concerns over the potential impact on Korean Peninsula security.

On Monday, The New York Times (NYT) reported that Russia has mobilized 50,000 troops, including North Korean forces, to recapture the Kursk region from Ukrainian control. Citing U.S. government sources, the NYT anticipates an offensive against Ukrainian positions in Kursk within days.

A Ukrainian government official shared with the NYT that Ukrainian intelligence estimates a possible North Korean contribution of up to 100,000 soldiers, underscoring the potentially significant scale of North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s military operations.

The announcement of the North Korea-Russia treaty, establishing a military alliance, could increase the likelihood of additional North Korean troop deployments to Russia.

Putin signed the treaty on November 9, establishing mutual military support in aggression cases. Analysts believe this agreement could serve as justification for North Korean military participation and the potential transfer of Russian nuclear capabilities to North Korea.

In exchange for troop deployments, North Korea is likely to receive military support, technology, and possibly nuclear expertise from Russia. The security situation on the Korean Peninsula has reached a critical juncture. As both countries strengthen their military ties, Kim Jong Un continues to assert North Korea’s commitment to its nuclear program, intensifying concerns over the regime’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

There are signs that Russian technological support may have already begun. Military assessments suggest that North Korea’s recent test launch of the new Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) occurred without new engine tests, lending credence to the possibility of Russian assistance behind the scenes.

Representative Yoo Yong Won from South Korea’s ruling People Power Party confirmed through the Defense Intelligence Agency that North Korea launched the Hwasong-19 without conducting new engine tests. The agency classified the Hwasong-19 as a distinct missile from the Hwasong-18 and assessed that North Korea could receive technology relevant to ballistic missiles from Russia under the guise of “space technology cooperation.”