US "Concerns Over Possible Battles in North Korea and Ukraine"... Biden Calls It "Very Dangerous"

US Department of Defense: "North Korea Deploys 10,000 Troops to Russia"

The U.S. government announced on the 28th (local time) that North Korea has deployed 10,000 troops to Russia, some of whom have already moved closer to the Ukraine front. President Joe Biden described North Korea's deployment to Russia as "very dangerous," marking the first time he has directly addressed this issue.

On the 28th, Sabrina Singh, Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, stated, "We believe North Korea has deployed approximately 10,000 troops to Russia's eastern region for training, and in the coming weeks, they will reinforce Russian forces near Ukraine."

Previously, the U.S. had estimated North Korea's deployment at 3,000 troops last week, but this figure has now been revised upward to about 10,000.

Deputy Spokesperson Singh said, "Some of those (North Korean) troops have already moved closer to Ukraine," adding, "As Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned, if North Korean troops are deployed to the battlefield, they will be considered legitimate targets as combatants." She emphasized, "Utilizing them would have serious implications for Indo-Pacific security."

President Biden also expressed concern about North Korea's deployment to Russia on the same day.

After casting his early vote in the Delaware town of New Castle, he told reporters, "It is very dangerous." This is the first time President Biden has publicly stated his position on this matter. He also mentioned that former President Donald Trump, who is Vice President Kamala Harris's rival in the Democratic presidential race, is engaging in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid this situation.

The U.S. also indicated that it would not impose restrictions on Ukraine using American weapons against North Korean troops deployed on the battlefield.

Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, said at a briefing that day, "There is growing concern that Russia is attempting to use North Korean troops near Kursk, close to the Ukrainian border, to support combat-military operations against Ukraine."

Spokesperson Miller said that at the upcoming U.S.-South Korea Foreign and Defense Ministers 2+2 meeting scheduled for the 31st in Washington D.C., they plan to discuss North Korea's deployment to Russia and the strengthening of North Korea-Russia relations, other provocations by North Korea, and security issues in the Indo-Pacific region. He also confirmed that they have communicated with China regarding military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.