US Deeply Concerned Over North Korea's Additional Troop Deployment to Russia, Citing Violation of UN Sanctions

State Department: "North Korea Relies on Russia for Desperately Needed Funds in Exchange for Providing Soldiers"

The U.S. State Department has expressed deep concern over North Korea's decision to deploy an additional 6,000 engineering troops and military construction personnel to support Russia's war in Ukraine.

Sergey Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, and Kim Jongun, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, met and greeted each other on the 4th (local time). Photo by EPA Yonhap News

On the 17th (local time), a State Department spokesperson stated, "We are deeply concerned that Russia continues to use North Korean workers and soldiers to support its military operations against Ukraine."

The spokesperson added, "Similarly, the North Korean regime is now relying on Russia in order to receive desperately needed funds for lending its labor force and soldiers." The spokesperson continued, "North Korean workers are financially supporting North Korea's illegal weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs, and these workers, who are located overseas including in Russia, are generating revenue in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397 on North Korea."

Earlier, Sergey Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, told Russian media reporters after meeting with Kim Jongun, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, in Pyongyang that day that North Korea has decided to send additional troops to help remove mines laid on Russian territory and to rebuild infrastructure destroyed by Ukrainian attacks.