North Korea has stepped up its activities in connection with Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine, sending more troops to the Kursk front line, South Korean National Intelligence Agency (NIA) said.
There have been reports stating earlier that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia at the end of last year to aid its military efforts. However, since mid-January, Seoul said that this unit had stopped combat operations. Ukrainian forces also said that the North Korean forces had been pulled out given heavy losses.
In a fresh twist, the NIA has confirmed on Thursday that a lot of these soldiers have been “redeployed”, and that is by the same battleground along with new reinforcements. “Anther troop desaptchments seem to be having taken place though we were still working to get the extent,” NIA official said. 
This is a new sign that Pyongyang is stepping up military ties with Moscow, even if neither government officially recognizes Pyongyang’s troops in the area. Russia and North Korea last year inked a defense pact which reinforced the two nationsijing ties.
The increasing coalition has been ominous for the west, suggesting Kim could supply military aid beyond troops, including arms and ammunition. As the situation develops, intelligence agencies remain attentive to the level of Pyongyang’s participation in Russia’s war effort.
