U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said this week that North Korean troops were seen wearing Russian military uniforms as they headed toward Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Austin made the remarks during a joint press conference with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun amid rising concerns over North Korea’s deployment of up to 11,000 troops to support Russia.
Austin noted that officials are actively discussing how to respond to the deployment of North Korean troops.
Pentagon’s Statements on North Korean Troops
Earlier this week, the Pentagon announced that North Korea had deployed around 10,000 troops to train in Russia, amid Moscow’s ongoing war with Ukraine.
“We believe that the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] has sent around 10,000 soldiers in total to train in eastern Russia that will probably augment Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks,” Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told journalists, using an abbreviation for North Korea’s official name.
Singh reported that some North Korean soldiers have already advanced closer to Ukraine and are believed to be moving toward Russia’s Kursk border region, where Russian forces have been struggling to repel a Ukrainian incursion.
What South Korea Has Said
South Korea and its allies estimate that North Korea has now deployed 11,000 troops to Russia, according to a senior official from the South Korean presidential office, who spoke on condition of anonymity during a background briefing. The official indicated that more than 3,000 of these troops are believed to be moving toward combat zones in western Russia, though specific locations were not disclosed.
Royal United Services Institute’s Associate Fellow Samuel Cranny-Evans told Newsweek for a previous story that tens of thousands of North Korean troops could “significantly” affect the war effort.
“The affect really depends on how they are used and how many North Korean troops are sent,” said Cranny-Evans. “If they are used as front line troops, and tens of thousands are sent overall, they could be a very significant contribution to Russia’s war effort.”
Some North Korean advance units have reportedly reached the Russian city of Kursk, an area where Ukrainian forces have maintained control following a surprise counteroffensive in August.
What Austin Said
Austin expressed concern that Russia could deploy North Korean troops directly into combat, though he cautioned that “whether they will be employed in the fight is yet to be seen.”
“They’re doing this because (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has lost a lot of troops,” Austin said.
South Korean Defense Minister Kim said he does not believe the troop deployment will necessarily lead to war on the Korean Peninsula but warned it could escalate security tensions between the two countries.
Speaking through an interpreter, Kim noted there is a “high possibility” that Pyongyang will seek advanced technologies in return for its support, including enhancements to its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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