Presidential Office "Sending at least 1.1 North Korean troops...Discussions to dispatch special envoy to Ukraine begin this week"

[Anchor]
The president's office said that the number of North Korean troops sent to Russia will exceed at least 10,000, and more than 3,000 of them are undergoing adaptation training in western Russia.

Discussions on sending a special envoy to Ukraine are expected to begin within this week, but Ukraine has not directly asked us for shell support.

I'm connecting with the reporter. Reporter Shin Yoonjung!

Did the President's Office explain more specific situations regarding the dispatch of North Korean troops?

[Reporter]
That's right. An official from the presidential office met with reporters a little while ago and answered questions with an explanation regarding the dispatch of North Korean troops to Russia,

First of all, we and the intelligence authorities of our allies have determined that at least 11,000 North Korean troops have already been dispatched, and more than 3,000 of them have already moved close to the western Russian war zone.

They explained that they are training for local adaptation in several regions, and that they are wearing Russian military uniforms and using weapons systems, taking the form of disguised dispatch that has been incorporated into the Russian military system.

However, he said he is continuing to observe when he will participate in the actual battle as several obstacles, including communication problems, are being detected.

Internally, North Korea is struggling to prevent the residents from agitation, including banning the use of mobile phones by officers, but it is a situation that has spread through word of mouth as the successors of the dispatched forces are concerned about the transfer of officers.

North Korea and Russia explained that they are responding urgently when international condemnation begins,

After former Defense Minister Shoigu of Russia visited Pyongyang until the 24th, North Korean Foreign Minister Choi Sun-hee said he is currently understood to have visited Russia.

Discussions will begin within this week on the dispatch of a special envoy to the country mentioned in yesterday's call between Yoon Suk Yeol and Ukrainian President Zelensky,
When special envoy
comes, we will discuss specific and phased cooperation measures, but we will not set a separate red line, he said, adding that if there is a discussion on weapons support, it would be common sense to talk about defensive support in the first place.

[Anchor]
In addition to the North Korean military's dispatch to Russia, you explained North Korea's movements and the South Korean government's support for Ukrainian artillery shells, right?

[Reporter]
That's right.

Regarding the possibility of a nuclear test by North Korea ahead of the U.S. presidential election next month, he said it would be possible to conduct a nuclear test at any time because the preparation time was relatively short.

ICBMs, or intercontinental ballistic missiles, can also be accelerated and implemented, and that trend has been observed several times recently, but it has been cut off and stopped in the middle, he said.

He then said, "I know that North Korea is preparing to launch a modified or quantified reconnaissance satellite, and if successful, it will be a risk to our security because the reconnaissance detection function will be strengthened."

Regarding some reports that Ukraine had asked us for shell support, he said, "There was no request, so it is wrong that we are currently considering directly supporting 155mm shells."

Regardless of the results of next Tuesday's U.S. presidential election, the war in Ukraine is at a stage where it is sending a significant signal to South Korea's security,

The decisive criterion for our next step, including the decision to provide arms aid to Ukraine, is the start of the battle for Ukraine involving the North Korean military, and we are approaching this issue from the perspective of protecting the security we need most.

I'm Shin Yoon-jung of YTN in the presidential office in Yongsan.