United States Warns Deployment Of North Korean Troops To Extend War In Ukraine

US Defense Secretary Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. (Twitter/@SecDef)

JAKARTA - Deployment of North Korean troops to assist Russia on the Ukrainian battlefield has the potential to prolong the conflict that has lasted for 2.5 years and attract other parties, United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said.

About 10,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to eastern Russia, wearing Russian uniforms and carrying Russian equipment, said Defense Secretary Austin, who he said looked increasingly like deployment of troops to support Russian combat operations in the Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine.

Ukrainian troops launched a major attack on Kursk in August and seized control of hundreds of square kilometers of the region there.

After negotiating with his South Korean counterpart at the Pentagon, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, Defense Secretary Austin called the deployment of troops "dangerous and unstable escalation."

"It does have the potential to prolong the conflict or expand the conflict," Defense Secretary Austin told reporters.

When asked what it meant by expanding the conflict, and whether other countries might join the fight, Defense Secretary Austin responded carefully: "It can encourage other countries to take action, various kinds of action. There are a number of things that can happen."

If Pyongyang aids the Russian war, North Korean troops could be targeted by Ukrainian troops using weapons provided by the United States and its allies, and some are likely to die on the battlefield, Defense Secretary Austin added.

"If they fight alongside the Russian army, they are the warring side together, and we have many reasons to believe they will be killed and injured as a result," Austin said.

South Korea itself has warned that Pyongyang will learn valuable lessons from its forces involved in fighting and witness modern wars by helping Russia, and that is a direct military threat to South Korea.

Speaking with Defense Secretary Austin, Defense Minister Kim warned North Korea, in exchange for the deployment, it is likely to seek Russian technology on tactical nuclear weapons, ballistic missile submarines, and intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs.

"I believe this could result in increased security threats on the peninsula," said Defense Minister Kim.

Seoul previously said it was considering sending a military monitoring team to Ukraine to observe and analyze the deployment of expected North Korean troops, something Defense Minister Kim said would be a great opportunity to learn more about North Korean troops.

"If we don't send observers or an analysis team, it means we're not doing our job well," he said.

It is known that Ukraine's war broke out when Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022, since it developed into a war of friction that mostly occurred along the front lines in eastern Ukraine, with large numbers of casualties on both sides.

The United States said the deployment of North Korean troops could be further evidence, Russian President Vladimir Putin had difficulty filling military ranks after more than 600,000 casualties so far, according to US estimates.

Defense Secretary Austin noted that Kremlin leaders had tried to recharge their weapons by switching to North Korea and Iran.

"We know Putin has committed fraud to get weapons from (North Korea) and Iran. Turning to a pariary country like North Korea has only underscored how much trouble he is facing," he explained.

Both Secretary of Defense Austin and Defense Kim both asked North Korea to withdraw its troops. However, it is unclear whether Washington or its allies can take any steps to prevent Pyongyang from joining the war.

"This is something we will continue to monitor, and we will continue to work closely with allies and partners to prevent Russia from deploying these troops in combat," said Defense Secretary Austin.

Separately, President Putin did not deny the involvement of North Korean troops in the war, but said it was Russia's business how to implement a partnership agreement signed by him and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June.

North Korea itself has not acknowledged the deployment of the troops, but says if the move discussed by the "world media" is correct, then it will be carried out in accordance with international law.