Russia has promised to “pay” the DPRK for assistance in the occupation.
The DPRK plans to send engineering troops to the occupied territories to carry out “reconstruction work”. The units that may be sent to Ukraine are now in China.
The Pentagon said North Korean troops would become “cannon fodder” if sent to Ukraine. Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said, “If I were in charge of North Korean troops, I would question sending forces to a criminal war against Ukraine.”
Earlier, Putin and DPRK leader Kim Jong-un signed a strategic partnership agreement. According to the document, Russia and the DPRK will help each other in case of aggression against one of the countries. Putin also said Moscow does not “rule out military-technical cooperation with the DPRK” despite UN sanctions.
South Korean intelligence reports that the DPRK has been supplying Russia with arms since the summer of 2022. Russia, in turn, has been supplying Pyongyang with tanks, aircraft, and technology for a spy satellite program. According to The Washington Post, from August last year to January 2024, North Korea supplied Russia with about 1.6 million artillery shells and 74,000 tons of explosives.
