North Korea has sent more troops to Russia, South intelligence says

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Russian military personnel are seen during a training exercise in Russia’s Krasnodar Oblast (REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov)

SEOUL (Reuters) -     North Korea has deployed additional troops to Russia, but the scale of the contingent was not immediately known, South Korean media reported on Thursday, citing the country's intelligence agency. 

The additional troops have been sent to the battlegrounds in Russia's Kursk region, the reports said. Russian forces are fighting Ukrainian troops who thrust across the border into the western Russia region.

The spokesperson's office at the National Intelligence Service (NIS) did not answer telephone calls seeking comment.

North Korea has deployed more than 11,000 troops to Russia to fight in the Ukraine war, the NIS has previously said. Ukraine and Western experts say Russian forces have also used North Korean weapons.

North Korea has not formally acknowledged its military support for Russia in the Ukraine war.

 (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Ed Davies)