North Korea’s Growing Combat Role in Ukraine Could Widen Conflict, Warns U.S. Defense Secretary

The U.S. Department of Defense has indicated that Russia’s deployment of North Korean troops in combat is expected to persist.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated during a press conference following the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) that Russia has suffered significant casualties due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to the Associated Press. Austin added that the scale of North Korea’s troop deployment and combat involvement are anticipated to increase gradually. SCM was held near the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.

When asked about the timeline for North Korean troop deployment, Austin stated that evidence regarding North Korean troops entering the battlefield is being gathered. He noted that these troops were already wearing Russian uniforms and using Russian equipment. With an estimated 10,000 North Korean soldiers moving toward Ukraine, Austin suggested that their deployment appears imminent.

Austin explained that Russian President Vladimir Putin had already suffered significant troop losses and faced limitations in mobilizing additional forces through conscription. He affirmed that North Korean troops would continue their combat involvement.

He further emphasized, ” I don’t have any messages for the leadership of DPRK. I call upon them to cease their potentially destabilizing behavior in both the Indo-Pacific region and now in the European theater as well. And like my colleague here, Minister Kim, I call upon them to withdraw their troops out of Russia.”