News analysis
Why North Korea will keep backing Russia in the Ukraine war
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North Korea is believed to have sent around 14,000 elite troops to support Russia’s war efforts, in exchange for a combination of financial, military and technological benefits.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- North Korea has sent around 14,000 troops to support Russia in Ukraine since June 2024, gaining battlefield experience and access to advanced military technology.
- Despite reportedly receiving only limited financial compensation, Pyongyang perhaps values more its strategic partnership with Russia as a counterbalance to China and for military advancements.
- Kim Jong Un has come too far to abandon the partnership amid ongoing military cooperation.
AI generated
SEOUL – North Korea’s deployment of thousands of troops to fight alongside Russia in the Ukraine war has evolved beyond a purely transactional arrangement into a long-term strategic investment, analysts say, amid talk that Pyongyang could send another 30,000 soldiers.
Since the signing of a mutual defence treaty in June 2024, North Korea is believed to have sent around 14,000 elite troops along with thousands of military engineers to support Russia’s war efforts, in exchange for a combination of financial, military and technological benefits.
