Khaberni - North Korea sent about 5000 of its soldiers to Russia since last September to participate in "infrastructure rebuilding," said a member of the South Korean parliament today, Tuesday, following an intelligence briefing.
Representative Lee Sung Kweon told reporters, "Approximately 5000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed in Russia in phases since September, and they are expected to be mobilized for infrastructure rebuilding."
He added: "There have been continual indicators of training operations and the selection of individuals for deploying additional forces."
The intelligence agency also pointed out that about 10,000 North Korean soldiers are currently deployed near the Russian-Ukrainian border, according to the representative.
North Korea has actively participated in the Russian war effort by providing thousands of soldiers to counter the Ukrainian forces located in a small part of the Russian Kursk border region between late 2024 and spring 2025.
According to South Korean intelligence, about 600 North Korean soldiers were killed and thousands more were injured in these battles.
Experts indicate that North Korea receives significant financial assistance, military technology, and aid in food and energy from Moscow. This provides a valuable resource to circumvent international sanctions imposed due to its nuclear and missile programs.
Seoul announced on Tuesday that North Korea launched several artillery missiles an hour before U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit to the border between the Koreas on Monday.
However, according to Lee Sung Kweon, South Korean intelligence services believe that Kim Jong Un is open to dialogue with the United States and "will seek to establish contact when conditions are appropriate."
The South Korean representative noted that "several indicators suggest" that Pyongyang is "secretly preparing for potential talks with the United States."
Pete Hegseth's visit follows a series of initiatives by U.S. President Donald Trump towards North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, whom he met three times during his first term.
Nevertheless, analysts recently surveyed by the French news agency suggested that Kim Jong Un, whose status has been bolstered by his relations with Moscow and Beijing, was not very interested in meeting Donald Trump.
