Chun In-bum, a former commander of South Korea's special forces, agrees with the defectors' appraisals. "Just because they lack food and training, does not mean they are incapable. They will acclimatise quickly. We should not underestimate them."

The United States voiced alarm at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday that Russia was close to accepting a nuclear-armed North Korea, as Moscow and Pyongyang defended their growing cooperation.

Western industrialized nations blasted North Korea's military Monday for cooperating with Russia in Ukraine, calling it a "dangerous expansion of the conflict," as Ukraine claimed dozens of DPRK troops have been killed.

The United States hit North Korea and Russia on Monday with new sanctions targeting Pyongyang's financial and military support to Moscow as well as its ballistic missile program. The sanctions, which list North Korean banks,

Jonah Leff said that the researchers from his group examined remnants of four North Korean missiles recovered in Ukraine in July and August. One of them had marks showing it was procured in 2024, according to the researcher.

South Korea has imposed sanctions on 11 individuals and 15 organisations involved in military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, the financing of North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes and Pyongyang's illegal procurement of sanctioned goods.

By bno - Taipei Office North Korea’s involvement in supplying ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine has become a matter of serious international concern, as fresh evidence suggests that the regime is capable of producing and transferring missiles within a matter of months.

North Korea continues to support the Russian Federation. According to the Ukrainian portal Defense Express, a transportation of M-1989 "Koksan" self-propelled artillery pieces has been spotted in Russia.