국방부 “북한군 러시아 추가 파병 임박 징후 없어…파병 준비는 지속”

The Ministry of National Defense recently commented on North Korea's potential to add Russian troops to its forces, stating that "while troop preparations in North Korea are ongoing, there are currently no signs indicating an imminent addition." According to data submitted by the National Power Youth's Representative Office, many North Korean troops already deployed are estimated to have suffered casualties.

The ministry further explained that many of the transferred North Korean soldiers are believed to have received compensation for their service. The Ministry of National Defense also noted that many North Korean missiles, such as the Hyunch'ŭn II tactical ballistic missile and the 600mm rocket launcher, are currently in the development phase and are expected to enhance precision, anti-attack capabilities, and mass firing potential compared to existing Scud-class missiles.

The ministry advised that while North Korea plans to position 250 launchers at the front line, the current deployment status of these missile systems has not been confirmed. The U.S.-affiliated Guam is within the range of the Hyunch'ŭn 12 medium-range ballistic missile, which is currently being prepared for deployment. North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) have the capability to reach the U.S. mainland, but all testing has been conducted at high altitude, leaving critical technologies, such as atmospheric re-entry, unverified.

The Korean People's Navy's nuclear-powered submarine, known as the Kim Il-sung, is not yet fully operational and is expected to require a long time to reach full operational capacity.