North Korean troops are already on the territory of Ukraine - CNN

Their numbers are expected to increase as new DPRK units in Russia's eastern regions complete their training and move toward the front.

Western intelligence sources confirm that some of these military personnel are already deployed. However, U.S. officials cannot yet definitively confirm the presence of North Korean troops in Ukraine.

Earlier, South Korean intelligence reported that North Korea intends to send about 12,000 soldiers, including special forces, to support Russia. In response, South Korea is considering sending its military experts, including specialists in DPRK tactics, to help Ukraine. south Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun said on October 24 that the DPRK leader was sending its military as "cannon fodder" for Russian forces.

A delegation from South Korea will arrive in Ukraine this week to discuss possible cooperation and exchange information on the involvement of North Korean troops in the conflict. Also on 28 October, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that North Korea had indeed sent its forces to Russia, moving them to the Kursk region.

A group of 200 North Korean defectors, now living in South Korea, offered their assistance to Ukraine to wage psychological warfare against North Korean soldiers reportedly recruited by Russia to fight in the conflict. These veterans, who have 7 to 10 years of military experience, believe that their in-depth knowledge of the culture and psychology of the North Korean military could be a powerful weapon to demoralise the DPRK troops supporting the Russian army.