The United States has issued a stern warning to North Korea following the revelation that the country has dispatched troops to Russia to support its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
Last year, North Korea deployed approximately 10,000-12,000 soldiers to Russia, and recently, an additional 3,000 troops have been sent to assist Vladimir Putin’s regime after Russian forces experienced significant losses on the battlefronts in Ukraine.
While there have been longstanding rumors of North Korea’s assistance to Russia, official confirmation only came on April 28.
Under a mutual defense agreement, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dispatched the troops with a mission to ‘annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and liberate the Kursk area in cooperation with the Russian armed forces’.
Kim stated, “They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland,” as conveyed in a message to state media.
Following North Korea’s admission of support for Russia, the United States has called on the country to cease sending its military personnel to Russia.
A spokesperson from the US Department of State expressed concerns via email, stating, “We continue to be concerned by [North Korea’s] direct involvement in the war. [North Korea’s] military deployment to Russia and any support provided by the Russian Federation to [North Korea] in return must end,” as reported by The Independent.
Beyond troops, North Korea has also been supplying Russia with a substantial quantity of conventional weaponry. Concerns have been raised by South Korea, the US, and their allies that Russia might reciprocate by sharing advanced weapons technologies, potentially bolstering North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.
Furthermore, North Korea is expected to receive economic and other forms of aid from Russia, according to PA.
This warning from the US government to North Korea follows closely on the heels of a message from Donald Trump to Putin, highlighting the loss of life in the conflict.
Trump remarked, “There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,” in a written statement.
He continued, “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
Since resuming office earlier this year, Trump has been striving to broker a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Although there have been minor achievements, including temporary ceasefires, a lasting resolution to the conflict remains elusive.