North Korea's Kim Expected to Send More Troops, Weapons to Russia

South Korea's military reported Friday that it suspects North Korea is preparing to send more troops to fight with Russian forces and a Ukrainian military chief supported this assertion, saying missiles and artillery could also by sent by North Korea to Russia.

Why It Matters

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff also assessed that Pyongyang is continuing preparations to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States. The move signals Pyongyang's deepening military ties with Moscow amid growing international condemnation.

What to Know

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that North Korea is believed to be accelerating plans to send more troops to Russia, though they did not disclose how this assessment was reached.

President Donald Trump's return to the White House could improve Pyongyang's prospects for renewed high-level diplomacy with Washington, given his history of meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un three times during his first term. Many experts believe Kim sees his advancing nuclear program and deepening military ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin as factors that could provide him with greater leverage than he had during his 2018-2019 summits with Trump.

Newsweek reached out to the South Korea Embassy in Washington and North Korea's Permanent Mission to the United Nations for comment via email.

How Has Kim Jong Un Been Aiding Putin's War?

North Korea has been supplying large quantities of artillery and other conventional weapons to Russia, and according to U.S., South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence reports, it sent approximately 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia in October 2024. Officials in Seoul, Washington and other capitals are concerned that Moscow could reciprocate by providing Pyongyang with advanced weapons technology that could further enhance its nuclear capabilities.

North Korean soldiers are known for their discipline and rigorous training, but their limited combat experience and unfamiliarity with the vast, flat terrain of the Russian-Ukrainian battlefields have left them vulnerable to drone and artillery strikes. This operational disadvantage has reportedly contributed to their heavy losses on the front lines.

How Many North Korean Troops Have Been Killed So Far?

South Korea's intelligence agency reported last week that approximately 300 North Korean soldiers had been killed and another 2,700 injured while fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine. Earlier in January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky estimated the total number of North Korean casualties at 4,000, while U.S. intelligence offered a more conservative figure of around 1,200.

What About North Korea's Missile and Artillery Systems?

According to Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, North Korea is expected to deploy additional forces to Russia's Kursk Oblast, primarily consisting of gun and rocket artillery units. In an interview with The War Zone magazine published on Jan. 23, Budanov highlighted Pyongyang's expanding military involvement in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Moscow is also set to receive more North Korean-made 170 mm M1989 Koksan self-propelled artillery guns and M-1991 240 mm multiple launch rocket systems, according to Budanov. He noted that Pyongyang had already supplied 120 units of each system over the past three months, further deepening its military support for Russia.

What People Are Saying

During a Fox News interview broadcast Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump called Kim "a smart guy" and "not a religious zealot." Asked over whether he will reach out to Kim again, Trump replied that "I will, yeah."

"I was very friendly with him. He liked me. I liked him," Trump said during a press availability at the Oval Office after his inauguration. "Now he is a nuclear power. But we got along. I think he'll be happy to see I'm coming back."

What Happens Next

The growing military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow could strengthen Kim's position in dealings with the U.S. and South Korea. During a major political conference last month, Kim pledged to pursue the "toughest" anti-U.S. policy. However, many experts believe he may eventually seek negotiations with Trump if he perceives an opportunity to secure concessions from Washington.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press