North Korea-Russia relations accelerate 'close'...New Year's troops are likely to be sent.

[Anchor]
Since the North Korean military's dispatch of the war in Ukraine, relations between North Korea and Russia have become increasingly close.

Russian President Putin evaluated that North Korea-Russia relations have entered a new stage, and there are predictions that additional North Korean troops will be deployed in the near future.

Reporter Hong Sun-ki reports.

[Reporter]
Russian President Putin showed off his close relationship in a New Year's card to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Since the summit last summer, the relationship between the two countries has reached a new level of quality, and the relationship has been strengthened.

The reason why Putin expresses his affection for North Korea is that he is grateful for North Korea's dispatch of troops to the struggling war against Ukraine.

In particular, it is intended to capture the hearts of the North Korean leadership, which can be shaken in the face of a recent series of North Korean casualties.

[Lee Sung-kwon/Secretary of the People's Power Intelligence Committee (last 19th): At least 100 people have been killed and the number of injured is expected to be close to 1,000, the NIS reported.]

Furthermore, there is an interpretation that it is a paving stone for additional dispatch of North Korean troops.

[Yang Moo-jin/President of North Korean Graduate University: From Putin's point of view, it seems to contain a message not only from North Korea but also from North Korea to provide additional weapons]

The South Korean military has already spotted the move to send additional troops to the North.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it has detected some moves by the North Korean military to send additional troops as well as to provide additional weapons such as self-destructive drones.

North Korea has already emphasized its willingness to stay with Russia until the end of the war in Ukraine.

[Choi Sun-hee/North Korean Foreign Minister (last month): I have no doubt that we will achieve victory, and I affirm that we will always be with our Russian comrades until the day of victory.]

Russia needs to pour more firepower before the inauguration of the next U.S. administration, which has a strong will to end the war early.

Given this situation, analysts say that additional North Korean troops are likely to be dispatched quickly early in the new year.

This is YTN Hong Seon-gi.



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