Number of North Korean soldiers in Russia now exceeds 10,000, says South Korea
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The number of North Korean soldiers deployed in the Russian army exceeded 10,000, South Korea said, as the first set of Pyongyang’s troops reportedly came under fire from Ukraine. The South Korean defence ministry said on Tuesday that a “significant number” of North Korean troops have moved to several frontlines, including in the Ukraine’s Kursk border where the Kremlin’s forces have struggled to repel the Ukrainian offensive. On Monday, a State Department spokesperson said as many as 10,000 North Korean troops are in the Kursk region and could engage in combat in the “coming days”. “And if they did, they would be legitimate military targets.” An official at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council on Monday said the first set of North Korean soldiers in Kurks have already come under fire on the border by the Ukrainian forces.