The U.S. White House continues to investigate claims made by the South Korean government regarding North Korea’s decision to deploy a large military contingent to aid Russia, stating that if true, it would be a highly concerning situation.
John Kirby, the White House National Security Council’s Coordinator for Strategic Communications, addressed the issue during an online briefing. He noted reports of North Korea possibly deploying troops to Russia, alongside Iran supplying drones and technology to Russia. He emphasized the severity of the situation should North Korean troops indeed be involved in the Ukraine conflict, highlighting the ongoing investigation and consultations with allies and partners.
The report surfaced after South Korea’s National Intelligence Service announced North Korea’s plan to dispatch a total of 12,000 troops to support the Russian war effort in Ukraine, with about 1,500 special forces already deployed to a Russian Far East city. Both the U.S. White House and the Department of Defense have expressed serious concerns over these claims, without official confirmation.
Robert Wood, U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the UN, shared similar apprehensions at a UN Security Council meeting, suggesting that if Russia is reliant on North Korean forces, it indicates Kremlin’s desperate situation.
Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook of South Korea highlighted at the UN meeting that North Korea’s involvement in the Ukraine war suggests a qualitative shift, with North Korea potentially becoming an active belligerent. He warned such moves undermine global peace and security and might be aimed at receiving military or financial compensation from Russia.
In response, Russian UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya dismissed the allegations as mere scare tactics, accusing the West of using countries like North Korea as boogeymen to spread fear and distract attention from issues like Ukraine’s supposed plans to develop nuclear weapons.
The North Korean mission to the UN declined to address what it termed unfounded rumors intended to sully its reputation, amid claims about military support for Russia, dismissing them as baseless.