North Korea deployed 5,000 military workers to Russia to rebuild infrastructure and strengthen its support in the war in Ukraine.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported that the regime of North Korea has sent around 5,000 military construction workers to Russia since September to help rebuild infrastructure, in a clear show of support for Moscow’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
During a closed-door parliamentary briefing, the NIS stated that nearly 10,000 North Korean soldiers are deployed along the border regions between Russia and Ukraine on surveillance missions, while another 1,000 military engineers are engaged in demining operations, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.
The intelligence agency also noted ongoing signs of training and personnel selection in North Korea, suggesting preparations for further troop deployments
NIS warned of advancements in North Korea’s weapons programs, particularly intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and drones, which may be receiving Russian technical assistance.
The Hwasong-20 ICBM, unveiled last month during a military parade in Pyongyang, is reportedly capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads, allowing for simultaneous attacks and missile defense evasion.
However, the missile has not yet been tested, so its true capabilities remain uncertain.
Figures disclosed by the NIS match earlier remarks by Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, who mentioned the deployment of 5,000 construction workers and 1,000 North Korean sappers to the Kursk region.
South Korea’s military estimates that this represents the third North Korean troop contingent sent to Russian territory since October 2024.
Diplomatically, South Korean intelligence indicated that North Korea had quietly explored the possibility of a meeting between Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump, although the summit ultimately did not materialize.
A potential meeting could occur in 2026 after the planned U.S.–South Korea joint military exercises in March.
According to the NIS, Pyongyang conducted “exploratory maneuvers” during Trump’s visit to South Korea for the APEC Forum, including assessing U.S. officials handling North Korea policy and delaying diplomatic missions to China and Russia.
Intelligence assessments suggest that Kim Jong-un has toned down his nuclear rhetoric since September, signaling a cautious openness to conditional talks with Washington.
Meanwhile, North Korea has increased efforts to gather intelligence on U.S. officials and other international actors involved in Korean Peninsula affairs.
Trump, who has repeatedly expressed interest in meeting Kim again, received no public response from Pyongyang. Instead, the regime carried out a cruise missile test before his arrival in Asia — a gesture widely seen as a symbolic rebuff.
North Korea reiterated that it will not engage in talks with the United States as long as denuclearization remains on the agenda, the same issue that derailed negotiations during Trump’s first term.
