North Korea sent 3,000 additional troops to Russia earlier this year and resumed work to block the front line area of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the military said.

It is a move to further cut off from South Korea while continuing military ties with Russia.

According to the latest North Korean military trend announced by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 27th, North Korea sent more than 3,000 additional soldiers to Russia between January and February this year. Last month, the National Intelligence Service confirmed the North's additional dispatch of troops, but did not reveal the scale.

Lee Seong-joon, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's public information office, said, "As the training of infantry and special warfare personnel in each region of North Korea tends to increase compared to the past, I think North Korea is training and managing with an emphasis on sending troops abroad as a whole."

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea continues to provide Russia with missiles, artillery equipment, and ammunition. So far, a significant amount of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), more than 220 170mm self-propelled guns, and 240mm multiple rocket launchers have been supported. In addition, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea resumed blocking the DMZ earlier this month, which had been temporarily suspended for winter training late last year. Work is underway, including reinforcing barbed wire fences. The Joint Chiefs of Staff evaluated, "A few days ago, a number of casualties occurred due to a mine explosion, and it seems that the shift was not prepared and excessive work was carried out."

Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia is becoming visible. According to Tas news agency, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said, "Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia is being prepared within this year," adding, "Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to Pyongyang is also being prepared." Chairman Kim was asked to visit Moscow by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who visited North Korea in June last year.

[Reporter Kim Sangjoon / Reporter Kim Deoksik]