Photo : YONHAP News
The National Intelligence Service(NIS) says North Korea sent some three-thousand troops to Russia so far, with the total likely to climb to around ten-thousand by December.
Ruling People Power Party Rep. Lee Seong-kweun and main opposition Democratic Party Rep. Park Sun-won, who are on the parliamentary intelligence committee, said NIS Director Cho Tae-yong disclosed the details during a briefing at the National Assembly on Wednesday.
The spy agency chief told the committee that according to its sources the deployed North Korean soldiers have been dispersed to multiple facilities in Russia for training.
The lawmakers told reporters that the head of the spy agency further presented credible intelligence that a total of ten-thousand troops will be deployed by December.
He also said the agency was able to confirm that Moscow was currently recruiting a large number of Korean-language translators within the Russian military, and that it was carrying out special training programs for the North Korean soldiers, including providing instructions on military equipment.
The NIS said it has also detected signs of North Korean authorities moving the families of the deployed soldiers to designated locations in a bid to effectively control and manage information on the North’s deployment efforts.