Seoul says Russia could use North Korean troops as ‘cannon fodder’ in dangerous areas

Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun said North Korean platoons likely to be deployed to the most difficult spots in the Ukraine war

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Russian servicemen jump off a tank during a combat training at an undisclosed location on November 27. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry Press Service via AP

Published: 9:27am, 29 Nov 2024

North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces will likely be sent to some of the most dangerous spots in the war, Kim Yong-hyun, South Korea’s defence minister, said on Thursday.

Speaking during a parliamentary defence committee session, Kim said that “the war is led by Russia, and from the stance of unit heads of the Russian military, they are likely to send the North Korean platoons to the most dangerous and difficult areas”.

He added that North Korean troops will likely be used as “cannon fodder,” according to Yonhap news agency, echoing comments made by Hwang Joon-kook , South Korea’s ambassador to the UN.

North Korea has sent thousands of troops to aid Russia in its war efforts, according to officials from South Korea, Ukraine and the US.

On Tuesday, The Financial Times, citing a Ukrainian official, reported that a North Korean general had been injured and several officers killed last week by UK-provided Storm Shadow missiles that Ukraine launched against a Russian command centre in Kursk.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the general’s injury, citing Western officials.

In the attack, Ukraine fired a volley of at least 10 Storm Shadow missiles, the Journal reported, citing Ukrainian and Western officials.