US State Department: "North Korean Troops Begin Combat Participation with Russian Forces in Kursk"

Yonhap News

The U.S. Department of State confirmed on the 12th (local time) that North Korean soldiers dispatched to Kursk, Russia, have begun participating in combat operations against Ukrainian forces.

Vedant Patel, Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department, stated at a briefing that "more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to eastern Russia, and most of them have moved to Kursk to begin engaging in combat operations alongside Russian troops."

Earlier, CNN, citing U.S. and Ukrainian sources, reported that Russia had mobilized approximately 50,000 troops, including North Korean forces, to retake the Kursk region.