What's happened
South Korea's intelligence confirms that North Korea has sent 1,500 special forces to Russia to support its war in Ukraine. This deployment raises significant security concerns for South Korea and the international community, prompting strong diplomatic protests from Seoul against Moscow's actions.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Independent reported that South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister condemned North Korea's troop dispatch as a grave security threat, emphasizing the need for immediate withdrawal (Arpan Rai, The Independent). Meanwhile, the South Korean National Intelligence Service confirmed the arrival of 1,500 special forces, with expectations of more troops to follow (South China Morning Post). The Moscow Times highlighted that this deployment is a significant step in North Korea's military engagement abroad, reflecting the solidification of the Kim-Putin alliance (The Moscow Times). Additionally, Politico noted that South Korea's strong diplomatic protests underscore the seriousness of the situation, as North Korean involvement in Ukraine could violate multiple UN resolutions (Politico).
How we got here
The deployment follows a military agreement between North Korea and Russia, signed in June 2024, which included mutual defense clauses. Tensions have escalated as North Korea's military cooperation with Russia intensifies amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine.
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More on these topics
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South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea.
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North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.
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Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
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Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.
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Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008.
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy is a Ukrainian politician, actor and comedian who is the 6th and current president of Ukraine, serving since May 2019.
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Kim Jong-un is a North Korean politician who has been the supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea since 2012.
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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 North American and European countries.