U.S., Japan, South Korea alarmed by N. Korean troops in Russia.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un at a signing ceremony following bilateral talks in Pyongyang, North Korea June 19, 2024. Sputnik/Kristina Kormilitsyna/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.

U.S., South Korea, Japan Warn of North Korean Troops in Russia

On October 25, the U.S., South Korean, and Japanese national security advisers voiced “grave concern” over North Korean troops deployed in Russia, potentially to support military actions against Ukraine. The White House indicated that this deployment signals strengthening military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang and called for an end to arms transfers between the two nations, which violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby provided this update after discussions involving U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, Shin Won-sik and Takeo Akiba.

Kirby emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating that the presence of North Korean troops in Russia could extend the security risks of Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific region. Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the presence of North Korean troops but maintained that how Russia implements its treaty with Pyongyang, which includes mutual defense obligations, is a matter for Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy recently claimed, based on intelligence reports, that Russia intends to deploy North Korean troops starting Sunday. Ukrainian military intelligence has reported that about 12,000 North Korean troops, including 500 officers and three generals, are currently in Russia, receiving training at five military bases.

Kirby noted that estimates suggest there could be over 3,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia, and some of these troops might be sent to engage Ukrainian forces in areas such as Russia’s Kursk region. This situation arises as Russia continues its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022.
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