New Threat to Ukraine: North Korea May Send Troops to Support Russian Army.

South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun stated that North Korea may deploy its armed forces in Ukraine to support Russia. This indicates a rise in military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.

This assessment reflects North Korea's desire to strengthen its ties with Russia. This is confirmed by a bilateral agreement that includes a mutual defense clause and was signed by Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, and Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, during the summit in June.

"Since Russia and North Korea have signed a mutual agreement similar to a military alliance, the likelihood of such deployment is very high," said Kim Yong Hyun during a parliamentary audit session.

This statement was made in the context of the latest news about North Korean troop losses on Russian-occupied territory near the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. Kim Yong Hyun said that this information is likely to be true.

Earlier this week, Kyiv Post reported, citing intelligence sources, that six North Korean officers were killed and three were injured as a result of a Ukrainian missile strike on October 3.