"10,000 North Korean soldiers will fight for Russia."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held a joint press conference with their South Korean counterparts who are on an official visit to Washington D.C. Secretary Blinken stated that the U.S. assesses that there are currently around 10,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia, saying, "The latest information shows that 8,000 of these North Korean forces have been deployed to the Kursk region."

Blinken expressed that they have not yet seen these troops engage in conflict against Ukrainian forces, but they anticipate that this will happen in the coming days. Secretary of Defense Austin also conveyed that there are assessments indicating that Russia is training North Korean soldiers in basic infantry operations, including artillery and trench clearing, stating, "All of this strongly indicates that Russia aims to use these foreign forces in frontline operations in the war it prefers against Ukraine."

Austin noted that Russia has also provided North Korean soldiers with Russian uniforms and equipment, saying, "If North Korean troops engage in combat or support operations against Ukraine, they will make themselves legitimate military targets." Austin reported that they are closely monitoring developments in consultation with other allies and partners in the region.

WHY WILL NORTH KOREAN SOLDIERS FIGHT FOR RUSSIA?

Russian President Vladimir Putin made an official visit to North Korea in June, during which a "comprehensive strategic partnership agreement" was signed between the parties.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in a statement on October 25 that they learned Russia would deploy North Korean soldiers to the first combat zones on October 27-28. A statement from the White House on the same day indicated that more than 3,000 soldiers had been brought to Russia to fight against Ukraine, and that some of these soldiers had likely been stationed in the Kursk region.