MAJOR ARMS PRODUCER
According to Yoo, Zelenskyy may have announced the transfer of the North Koreans because he had hoped it would spur public support in South Korea for providing weapons and other aid to Ukraine.
Ukraine’s embassy in Seoul did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
South Korea, which is a major arms producer, has faced pressure from some Western countries and Kyiv to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons but has so far focused on non-lethal aid, including demining equipment.
The soldiers were transferred to South Korea in mid-September, said another lawmaker, Youn Kun-young, who was also briefed by the NIS.
The lawmaker said the pair had no health issues.
Zelenskyy said in a post on X this week that more than 8,000 North Korean troops were on Russian territory and preparations were underway to deploy a further 10,000 troops.
The Ukrainian president said in August that as many as 50,000 North Korean soldiers could be sent to fight for Russia, and called on South Korea to provide support for Ukraine’s air defence.
