NK Foreign Ministry Seemingly Acknowledged NK Troops Sent to Russia

News Summary

On October 25, North Korea's Foreign Ministry stated that if reports of North Korean troops being sent to Russia are accurate, it would be in accordance with international law, indirectly admitting to its deployment intentions.

Kim Jong Gyu, vice foreign minister in charge of Russian affairs, said, "If there is such a thing that the world media is talking about, I think it will be an act conforming with the regulations of international law...There will evidently exist forces which want to describe it as illegal one, I think."

Kim's remark came after the dismissal by one of North Korea's United Nations representatives of Seoul's claims regarding its troop dispatch to Russia as a "groundless rumor."

Commentary

Despite its initial denial, North Korea had no choice but to obliquely admit the presence of its troops in Russia due to a series of evidence emerging along with Putin's indirect acknowledgment of the troops the day before.

The Kim regime will face severe repercussions from the global disclosure of its troop deployment to Russia: Firstly, North Korea will be subjected to severe condemnation from the international community, resulting in heightened sanctions and criticisms. Secondly, South Korea will receive increased backing from its allies, as well as NATO countries and other parties worried about the strengthening of the military alliance between Russia and North Korea.

Lastly, the widespread dissemination of this news globally would reach its own population, including North Korean soldiers who now have greater access to uncensored outside information than ever before. Consequently, they would learn more about the deaths and injuries of their fellow soldiers in a foreign battlefield, perceiving them as mere cannon fodder. This would greatly undermine their allegiance to the Kim regime and push them to seek their own means of survival.

At first, Kim Jong Un likely thought that dispatching his soldiers to Russia was a wise move to ensure the survival of his regime. However, as time passes, he will come to the realization that it was actually the worst decision he could have ever made, leading to the downfall of his regime.