N. Korea reportedly prepares military balloon attack with Russia

Ukrainian media outlet RBC Ukraine reported on Monday that North Korea, in collaboration with Russia, is preparing a "military balloon" attack on the Ukrainian front. Speculation has arisen that these balloons could disrupt Ukrainian air defenses or even deliver biochemical weapons, drawing from past incidents where North Korea used sewage balloons against South Korea.

According to reports, 40 North Korean military instructors and 50 Russian soldiers have been deployed to the Khomutovka region in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. There, North Korean forces are teaching the Russian military how to use balloons for warfare, while Russian forces are instructing North Korean soldiers on modern infantry tactics. This marks another instance of growing military cooperation between the two nations.

Additionally, reports have surfaced that North Korean workers are involved in construction projects in Russian-occupied areas of eastern Ukraine, such as Donetsk. The U.S.-based Radio Free Asia, citing the Ukrainian Army's Center for National Resistance, mentioned that these workers are engaged in tasks including building air defense structures.

Images showing a North Korean flag planted in a Russian-controlled part of Ukraine are circulating on pro-Russian social media. However, there are doubts about the authenticity of these photos, with suggestions that they may be part of Russian propaganda efforts.


Eun-A Cho achim@donga.com · Jeong-Soo Hong hong@donga.com