South Korean Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho, right, poses with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte, center, and the defense ministers of Australia, Japan and New Zealand at the defense ministers' meeting of NATO in Brussels, Oct. 17, in this photo provided by NATO. Yonhap

North Korea might be providing Russia with civilian personnel rather than sending its own troops for the war effort in Ukraine, a senior South Korean defense official has said.

Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho made the remarks amid mounting speculation that the North is providing its soldiers to fight Russia's war in Ukraine, a claim also reinforced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week, who argued that Pyongyang is preparing to send more troops.

"We say that it's significant as it is possible that North Korea has provided personnel rather than military forces," Kim said Thursday in an interview with Yonhap News Agency in Brussels.

Kim was in the Belgian capital to attend the defense ministers' meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

"Whether it is personnel or troops will be determined once more information is gathered, put together and evaluated," Kim said.

The North's deployment, if confirmed, would mark a significant development in its relationship with Moscow, since they have forged closer ties with the announcement of a new bilateral treaty at the June summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The treaty calls for either side to provide military assistance to the other "without delay" in the event of an armed attack, in what is viewed as the revival of a de facto mutual defense treaty.

The United States and its allies have not confirmed Ukraine's claims about North Korean troops, saying there is no evidence and that they are evaluating the situation.

Kim said if the deployment was true, it would demonstrate the reclusive regime's "desperate" last-ditch efforts to gain security assurances from Russia.

"If they indeed sent their troops, it would be because the North feels the need to do so to maintain their regime, seek assurances from Russia for that purpose," Kim said, on the premise that it is his personal opinion.

"The arms trade with Russia is also an act born out of desperation on the brink," Kim added.

Since the nuclear diplomacy with the U.S. ended with a no-deal summit in 2019, the North has stepped up to enhance its relations with Russia. North Korea has been accused of supplying Moscow with weapons and munitions in support of its invasion of Ukraine.

At the NATO meeting, the vice defense minister said he felt the "enormous interest" from NATO members in their four Indo-Pacific partners — South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand — known as the "IP4."

"There was significant interest in the defense industry sector," Kim said. "Which in turn, I think, shows that the military threat perceived by NATO is much greater than we might think."

South Korea and NATO have been pushing to bolster their partnership, particularly in information-sharing, with the common goal of addressing challenges such as disinformation and cybersecurity, as well as supporting Ukraine amid Russia's war.

It marked the first time for the IP4 countries to join the NATO defense ministerial talks. Kim attended the meeting on behalf of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was unable to be present due to scheduling issues. (Yonhap)