'Very worrying': France raises alarm over growing North Korea-Russia military ties

After South Korean intelligence said that North Korea was sending as many as 12,000 troops to aid Moscow’s war in Ukraine, France on Friday expressed concern on the growing military ties between the two countries.

“An increase in North Korean cross-cooperation and military support for the Russian war effort in Ukraine is very worrying, AFP quoted foreign ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine as telling reporters.

According to AFP, citing Seoul’s intelligence agency, of the 12,000 North Korean troops, 1,500 special forces are already training in Russia’s Far East.

The National Intelligence Service shared satellite images indicating the initial transfer of elite North Korean special forces by Russian military vessels to Vladivostok.

NATO chief Mark Rutte, however, said the alliance could not as yet confirm South Korea’s intelligence.

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“If this information were to be confirmed, it would be an extremely worrying and serious development,” said Lemoine.

“We can only call on North Korea and Russia to comply with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council,” he added.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy flagged intelligence reports saying North Korea was training 10,000 soldiers to support Russia in its fight against Kyiv.

Zelensky suggested that Russia was relying on North Korean troops to compensate for its substantial losses, as many young Russians seek to avoid conscription.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian media reported that six North Korean military officers were killed in a Ukrainian missile attack on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk - which South Korea’s defence minister said at the time was “highly likely” true.

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With inputs from agencies