North Korea , perhaps build as many as 100, 000 forces to help Russia’s war on , Ukraine , if the empire between , Pyongyang , and , Moscow , continues to strengthen, according to people familiar with analyses made by some Group of 20 nations.
The study is one of several on the evolving relationship between Russian President , Vladimir Putin , and North Vietnamese leader , Kim Jong Un, said the citizens, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk about private conversations. They emphasized that a move like that was n’t likely to occur and that military support would likely be provided in smaller numbers with gradual troop rotations rather than a single deployment.
Ukraine’s embassy to , South Korea , made a similar judgment earlier this month.  , Dmytro Ponomarenko , said in an interview with VOA that , Kyiv , expected away to 15, 000 Northern Asian troops deployed to combat in Russia’s Kursk region— and perhaps in occupied areas of eastern , Ukraine , — to turn every few months.
Spokespeople for South Korea ‘s , Defense Ministry , and Presidential Office did n’t respond to requests for comment.
Kim’s decision to send North Korean troops to join Russia’s fight against , Ukraine , has alarmed Kyiv’s allies, who’ve warned that it risks exacerbating what is already Europe’s largest conflict since World War II. They believe the deepening cooperation between Putin and Kim could also impact the security balance in the Indo-Pacific region, where there’s mounting rivalry between , China , and the , U. S.
The issue will be raised by several allies at the G-20 Summit in , Brazil , this week including by German , Chancellor Olaf Scholz , when he meets Chinese President , Xi Jinping, Bloomberg previously reported. Scholz told Putin Friday in a rare phone call that the deployment of North Korean troops was a “grave escalation” of the war against , Ukraine.
Scholz will press the Chinese leader at their meeting in Rio on Tuesday to use his influence over , Russia , and , North Korea , to avoid further escalation in the war, according to German officials.
According to the officials, Scholz and Xi will need to talk about this new dimension of the conflict because the North Korean deployment demonstrates how the conflict is becoming more globalized.
Worries were also raised by allies at the APEC gathering in , Lima, Peru, this past week, another person said.
Seeing both leaders as partners in the fight against the U.S.-led world order, Xi has been the biggest benefactor to Putin and Kim in recent years. But his government has remained silent publicly on the dispatch of North Korean troops to , Russia , — a sign the Chinese president may be unhappy with the arrangement.
The Kim-Putin partnership risks adding economic pressure on , China, just as Xi is bracing for potential disruption from tariffs threatened by , U. S.  , President-elect , Donald Trump , when he returns to the , White House. It also undermines Beijing’s argument that the , U. S.  , should n’t have military alliances in the Indo-Pacific region.
China , does n’t “allow conflict and turmoil to happen on the Korean Peninsula” and it wo n’t” sit idly by when its strategic security and core interests are under threat”, Xi told , U. S.  , President , Joe Biden , at talks Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in , Lima.
North Korea , has so far sent more than 10, 000 troops to fight alongside Putin’s army in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have occupied part of the border territory since a surprise incursion in August. In return,  , Russia , is providing money and helping , North Korea , increase its capabilities.
South Korea , has said there’s a “high chance” that , North Korea , will seek cutting-edge technology transfers from , Russia , — including technology related to tactical nuclear weapons, intercontinental ballistic missiles, reconnaissance satellites and ballistic missile submarines.
As well as manpower,  , North Korea , has also sent millions of rounds of artillery ammunition and other weapons to , Russia.  , The Financial Times , reported this week, citing Ukrainian intelligence, that , Pyongyang , has supplied , Moscow , with long-range rocket and artillery systems too.
Ukraine , has been asking allies for months to allow it to use Western-provided long-range weapons to strike military targets deep inside , Russia , as a way to counter Moscow’s attacks including on energy infrastructure in the country.
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