Pyongyang: North Korea and Russia have engaged in discussions to enhance cooperation between their military-political entities, as reported by state media on Friday. This development comes amidst indications of North Korea deploying additional troops to assist Russia in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Pak Yong-il, vice director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, met with Russian Deputy Defense Minister Viktor Goremykin on Wednesday in Pyongyang. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation and exchanges between military-political organizations, reflecting the deepening ties between the two nations.

North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol also held discussions with a Russian military delegation, led by Goremykin, a day earlier. The talks were described as being conducted in a "friendly atmosphere," according to a separate dispatch from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Goremykin, who is the chief of the Main Military-Political Directorate of Russia's armed forces, made history as the first Russian military official of such rank to visit North Korea. The timing of the visit coincided with South Korea's spy agency reporting signs of North Korea conducting training and recruitment in preparation for additional troop deployments to Russia.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) revealed that approximately 5,000 North Korean construction troops have been moving to Russia since September, potentially to be involved in infrastructure reconstruction projects. Since October of last year, North Korea has reportedly sent about 15,000 troops and weapons to support Russia's war efforts. The NIS also reported that around 2,000 North Korean troops were estimated to have been killed during combat in Russia's Kursk region.