North Korean troops in Ukraine: How powerful is Pyongyang's army?

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that the fact North Korea has its boots on the ground in temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine is "the first step to a World War", sparking a fresh wave of worry and concerns surrounding the country's military capacity.

"This is no longer just about transferring weapons. It is actually about sending people from North Korea to the occupying military forces," he said.

Zelenskyy's announcement comes days after Ukrainian outlet The Kyiv Independent reported that North Korea has sent 10,000 soldiers to Russia in a bid to boost its offensive on Ukraine.

While the Kremlin dismissed these reports, the prospect of North Korean troops fighting on Moscow's side in the heart of Europe begs the question: how strong is Pyongyang's army and can it afford to send its forces to Ukraine?

North Korea possesses the world’s fourth-largest military, with nearly 1.3 million active personnel representing approximately 5% of the total population. An additional 600,000 are believed to serve as reserve soldiers.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made defence spending a priority, with Pyongyang stating in January that 15.9% of total government expenditure for this year would go to defence.

Although the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not provide a specific figure, this estimate is similar to the ones announced in recent years.

Meanwhile, independent estimates say that Pyongyang likely spent around 36.3% of its GDP on its military in 2023, making it the second-highest spender in this category worldwide.

While the North Korean army has also been reported to use outdated technology and fighting equipment, its leadership makes up for the difference in tech by mobilising its troops