On Monday, October 28th, the Pentagon announced that North Korea has dispatched approximately 10,000 soldiers to Russia, with plans to proceed to Ukraine for training and operations within the “coming weeks.” This move is expected to escalate the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, posing serious implications for security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.
According to Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh, some North Korean soldiers have already arrived near Ukraine and are believed to be heading towards the Kursk border region. Russia has been resisting Ukrainian forces’ advances in that area.
Earlier on Monday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also confirmed the presence of North Korean military units in the Kursk region.
Singh stated that North Korean soldiers have begun arriving in western Russia. “We estimate that North Korea has sent approximately 10,000 soldiers to train in eastern Russia, potentially bolstering Russian forces near Ukraine in the coming weeks. Some of these soldiers are already close to Ukraine, and we are increasingly concerned that Russia may intend to utilize these soldiers for combat or to support operations against Ukrainian forces along the Russia-Ukraine border in Kursk region.”
Regarding the impact of North Korea’s military deployment to aid Russia, Singh emphasized that as Secretary of Defense Austin mentioned, this is a very serious issue. If North Korean soldiers are put into the battlefield, it will further escalate the situation, highlighting President Putin’s growing desperation as casualties mount in the Russian military and suggesting that Putin may be facing even greater troubles than people realize.
“This action will also have serious implications for security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region,” she said.
Rutte informed reporters in Brussels that the deployment of North Korean troops represents a “significant escalation” of the Kim Jong-un regime’s involvement in the conflict and a “dangerous expansion of the Russian war.”
President Biden also described the North Korean military deployment as “dangerous, very dangerous.”
Secretary of Defense Austin and Secretary of State Blinken are set to meet with their South Korean counterparts in Washington, D.C. later this week. On Wednesday, Austin will host South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook at the Pentagon for the 56th U.S.-ROK Security Consultative Meeting. On Thursday, Austin and Blinken will jointly host Suh Wook and Foreign Minister Jo Yoo-lie for the 6th U.S.-ROK Foreign and Defense Ministers’ Meeting, also known as the 2+2 meeting.
Singh mentioned on Monday that high-level U.S.-South Korea meetings will discuss the impact of North Korea’s military deployment to aid Russia and its broad implications for security in the Indo-Pacific region. “This not only affects the United States but also has wide-ranging trans-regional implications for both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region,” she said.
She also added that Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook will address the issue of North Korean soldiers being deployed to Ukraine. Singh noted that Ukrainian forces using American-provided weapons will not be restricted in any manner.
“If we see North Korean troops advancing towards the frontlines, they are combatants in the war,” Singh said. “This is a calculation North Korea must make.”
Rutte stated that NATO is “actively consulting with NATO allies, Ukraine, and our Indo-Pacific partners on developments.” He mentioned that he will soon hold talks with the South Korean President and the Ukrainian Minister of Defense.
“We will continue to closely monitor the situation,” he said.
Ukrainian President Zelensky, citing intelligence reports, stated last Friday that North Korean troops would enter the battlefield within days.
He previously indicated that information available to the Ukrainian government indicates that approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers are preparing to join Russian forces in combat against Ukraine.