North Korea may deploy as many as 100,000 troops to aid Russia’s war on Ukraine if the alliance between Pyongyang and Moscow continues to deepen, according to people familiar with assessments made by some Group of 20 nations.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a visit to the National Defense University in Pyongyang, North Korea, October 7, 2024, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called on his country's military to focus all efforts on completing war preparations, state news agency KCNA reported on Monday. KCNA reported Kim as describing the Korean peninsula as "the world's biggest hotspot,

North Korean troops in Russia. He also condemned US support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, alleging that Washington and its allies were using Ukraine as "shock troops" to extend U.S. military influence.

A former North Korean soldier has said that troops from the rogue state who are fighting in Russia as part of Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine may look to flee from the front line.

Soldiers from North Korea are reportedly fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine, and initial conflicts have emerged. A recording featuring a Russian Orthodox priest has surfaced online. In it, he claims that the Koreans "brought a plague to the country" and advises soldiers not to heed the "devilish words" of the godless.