The U.S. has confirmed that North Korea sent 10,000 soldiers to Russia for training, with expectations they may join Russian forces in Ukraine in the coming weeks.
The move, which South Korea labeled a “significant security threat,” comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a mutual defense agreement in June.
While North Korea denies deploying troops, state media reported that such a move, if it occurred, would align with international law.
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Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that North Korea’s military presence in Russia could grow to 12,000 soldiers. President Joe Biden also criticized the deployment as “very dangerous.”
According to U.S. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh, North Korean troops are currently training in eastern Russia, potentially boosting Russian military strength in Ukraine.
NATO chief Mark Rutte called this a “dangerous expansion” of Russia’s war, stating that North Korea’s involvement points to “Putin’s growing desperation,” with Russian casualties reportedly exceeding 600,000 since 2022.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned that Pyongyang’s military support for Moscow could prompt Seoul to consider countermeasures.
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South Korean intelligence also indicated that North Korea may be preparing another satellite launch with Russian technology and warned that the North is misinforming families of deployed soldiers by claiming they are in training, not combat.
Both EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen and President Yoon voiced concerns that North Korea’s involvement significantly escalates the war in Ukraine, posing risks to global peace.
The U.S. has also called on China, an ally of both Russia and North Korea, to address the “destabilizing actions” from its neighboring countries.
