In a recent revelation, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Russia. The exact nature of their activities, however, remains uncertain.
"What exactly they're doing" is yet to be determined, Austin stated during a press conference in Rome, Italy. "These are things that we need to sort out."
According to ABC News, both Ukraine and South Korea have raised concerns about North Korean soldiers receiving training in Russia, potentially in preparation for deployment to conflict zones in eastern Ukraine and western Russia. Austin emphasized that the U.S. is committed to unraveling this situation, to ascertain whether North Korea can be deemed a co-belligerent in the ongoing conflict.
The Defense Secretary underscored the gravity of the situation, stating, "That is a very, very serious issue and it will have impacts not only in Europe, it will also impact things in the Indo-Pacific as well." He further noted a seemingly "strengthened relationship, for lack of a better term, between Russia and DPRK," referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Austin suggested that Pyongyang's support to Russia extends beyond mere camaraderie, providing "arms and munitions to Russia and this is a next step." This development could potentially signify a resource crunch for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Austin pointed out Putin's "significant casualties" over the past two and a half years, indicating that "This is an indication that he may be even in more trouble than most people realize."
However, North Korea has refuted these allegations. A North Korean representative to the United Nations dismissed the reports as "groundless stereotyped rumors," during a U.N. General Assembly session this week. The representative's statement was reported by South Korea's Yonhap news agency.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed the reports, stating, "There is a lot of contradictory information, and that is probably how it should be treated," while describing North Korea as a close neighbor and partner. Peskov assured that their cooperation "should not cause anyone any concern, because this cooperation is not directed against third countries."
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