Ukraine and South Korea have accused the North of sending troops to fight on Russia’s side
Kim Yo-jong, a senior North Korean official and sister of the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, has lashed out at the “lunatics” in Seoul and Kiev who threaten nuclear-armed nations.
The quotation circulated by state news agency KCNA on Tuesday did not refer to specific statements by the two governments, but said their “reckless remarks” seemed to be “a common feature of bad dogs bred by the US.” Kim also reiterated Pyongyang’s accusations against Seoul related to alleged violations of North Korean airspace.
Ukrainian officials claim that North Korean troops have been deployed on Russia’s side in the Ukraine conflict. The country’s leader, Vladimir Zelensky, said in a keynote speech last week that Kiev is now fighting North Korea and Iran in addition to Russia.
South Korea has made similar claims, stating last week that Pyongyang intended to send as many as four brigades totaling 12,000 soldiers, including special forces, to help Moscow. The assessment came from the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
As a result, Seoul is now considering the deployment of a field intelligence mission to Ukraine to monitor the situation and may change its policy of not providing weapons to Kiev, news agency Yonhap said on Tuesday, citing a government source.
Moscow and Pyongyang have both rejected the accusation, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calling them a “bogus story” that even Western backers of Kiev refuse to endorse. Last week, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he “cannot confirm” the reports, but called them “concerning.”
On Tuesday, a North Korean representative at the UN said the allegations were “groundless rumors” that did not warrant a formal comment.
There has been an escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula in the past weeks. The North has blown up road and railway connections to the South, calling it a response to Seoul’s joint military exercises with American forces.
Over the weekend, Pyongyang also released images of what it said was a small drone that came from the South to drop propaganda leaflets on the North Korean capital. Seoul has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement.
