WASHINGTON (AP) — North Korean troops are wearing Russian uniforms and carrying Russian weapons, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday. Moving towards UkraineHe called it a dangerous and disruptive development.
As Austin spoke at a press conference in Washington with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, concerns about Pyongyang’s deployment were growing. 11,000 troops to Russia.
The U.S. and South Korea say some North Korean forces are moving into Russia’s Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, which is held by Kremlin forces. Struggled to push back the Ukrainian invasion.
Some North Korean advance units have already arrived in the Kursk region, and the “chance is very high” that Russia will use troops in combat, Austin said.
North Korea’s move Tightening relations with Russia Alarms have been raised around the world as leaders worry about how to expand the war in Ukraine and what Russian military aid will be offered to Pyongyang in return.
Austin said officials are considering what to do about the deployment, which he said could potentially be expanded or extended Conflict in Ukraine. Asked if it would prompt other countries to become directly involved in the conflict, he acknowledged that it would “encourage others to take action” but offered no details.
“It’s something we’re going to continue to look at, and we’re going to continue to work with our allies and partners to discourage Russia from committing these troops to combat,” Austin said.
Kim said he did not believe the deployment would spark a war on the Korean Peninsula, but could. Increasing security threats.
He said through an interpreter that there is a “high possibility” that Pyongyang will ask for advanced technologies such as tactical nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities in exchange for its forces.
Both Kim and Austin called on North Korea to withdraw its forces.
Russia had to shift some resources to the Kursk border region to respond Attack of Ukraine. U.S. leaders have suggested that the use of North Korean forces to bolster Russia’s defenses indicates that Moscow’s losses during the more than two-year war have significantly reduced its military strength.
“They’re doing this because (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has lost a lot of troops,” Austin said, adding that Moscow has a choice between mobilizing more of its own forces or turning to others for help.
Already, he noted, Russia has sought military weapons from other countries. That includes North Korea and Iran.
The United States estimates that there are currently 10,000 North Korean troops in Russia. Seoul and its allies estimate that the number of people sent to Russia has risen to 11,000, a senior South Korean presidential official said on condition of anonymity during a background briefing.
More than 3,000 of them are believed to have moved toward war zones in western Russia, the South Korean official said, without specifying locations.
A Ukrainian official told The Associated Press that North Korean troops were stationed 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Ukraine’s border with Russia. The official, who was not authorized to release the information publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, did not provide any additional details.
North Korea has also supplied Russia with munitions, and earlier this month, the White House released images of what it said was a North Korean shipment. 1,000 containers of military equipment There by train.
A key concern is what North Korea will get in return for providing troops. But officials have not yet indicated what Pyongyang may have requested or what Moscow has offered.
In their meeting at the Pentagon, Kim and Austin agreed to continue large-scale military exercises, increase cooperation on nuclear deterrence, and improve their capabilities to intercept and respond to North Korean missile launches. Wednesday by the Pentagon.
Austin and Kim are scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Dae-yul at the State Department on Thursday.
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AP reporter Kim Dong-hyung contributed from Seoul, South Korea.
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