Hidden Truth About North Korea’s Role in Russia’s War—Are They Just Rear-Guard Troops?

The Pentagon asserts that North Korean troops deployed to Russia are stationed in Kursk Oblast but have not yet engaged in combat. Local sources suggest these soldiers are primarily tasked with rear-guard duties, freeing up Russian forces for frontline operations.

Pentagon Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Singh addressed queries about North Korean troop involvement during a press briefing on Monday. Singh stated, So we believe — and I think General Ryder spoke to this as well last week, that DPRK troops are still in that Kursk region. Haven’t seen them engaged in combat. But, you know, we know they’re there. We know that they’re staged to engage in combat, and, you know, we’re continuing to monitor that.”

North Korea ramped up its troop deployment to aid Russia’s Ukrainian invasion in October. Ukrainian forces claim to have engaged North Korean troops in combat since last month. Ukrainian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Anatoliy Barhylevych reported that over 11,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to Kursk, with some participating in engagements against Ukrainian forces on November 24. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia is clearly using North Korean troops as “cannon fodder” in an interview with Japan’s Kyodo News on December 1. He added that “concrete evidence is necessary” for accurate casualty reports.

While the U.S. has confirmed the deployment, it has refrained from commenting on combat engagements. Kyiv Independent cited a National Resistance Center (NRC) report on December 5, stating that Russia has not deployed North Korean troops in combat operations in Kursk. North Korean soldiers assigned to Russia’s 11th Airborne Brigade are tasked with base security. The NRC assessment suggests that by sharing security duties, North Korean troops enable Russia to allocate more of its forces to the frontlines.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo claimed at a security conference at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California on Saturday that North Korea initiated the troop deployment offer. He emphasized that Pyongyang seeks ballistic missile re-entry technology and submarine-related expertise from Moscow in exchange. Paparo added that North Korea is negotiating to acquire MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets from Russia, with some agreements already in place.

When Singh was asked about additional information on Russia’s promised provisions during the briefing, she responded: “We’re seeing deepening cooperation between Russia and the DPRK. You know, we’re seeing certainly a trading of information and capabilities between these two countries, including North Korea providing soldiers on the battlefield. But for more on that, I don’t have anything to speak to.”