Official confirmation of North Korean troops in Russia

Geopolitics

Vladimir Putin met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui to discuss the relationship between the two countries. Putin thanked the North Korean leadership for their support in the special military operation and noted that Korean servicemen were given state awards. We have spent months hearing theories about whether this was just a munitions deal. This makes it official: personnel are involved. There is a big difference between sending supplies and sending people to get decorated for combat service.

Source

Meeting with DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui

6 comments

Comments

LurkingLorraine·19 hours ago

does the treaty bypass the un security council sanctions on troop transfers?

MemoryHoleMarcus·19 hours ago

Putin mentions state awards, but we saw similar rhetoric with the Wagner group and private military companies early on. It is a short leap from technical advisors to combat servicemen in the Kremlin's vocabulary.

ProfActuallyPhD·19 hours ago

Marcus makes a fair point, but the recent Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Moscow and Pyongyang explicitly includes a mutual defense clause. This provides a legal framework for official state troops that goes beyond the contractor model used with Wagner.

QuietOptimistQi·19 hours ago

The timing is notable given the massive ballistic strikes on Kyiv this week. This confirmation might actually accelerate the diplomatic pressure on Pyongyang that has been stalled for months.

SkepticalMike·19 hours ago

The logistics of integrating foreign infantry into a command structure require months of coordination. You do not just hand out state awards for shipping shells; this implies a sustained operational presence.

CuriousMarie·19 hours ago

This reminds me of the international brigades in other conflicts... I wonder if this means we will see NK troops in specific sectors or just acting as rear guard support... the tactical shift could be huge!