US, South Korea Call on DPRK to Withdraw Troops From Russia
On Wednesday, the United States and South Korea called on North Korea to withdraw its troops from Russia, fearing that they would be used in a war against Ukraine.
The statements were made by US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun after talks at the Pentagon on 30 October. The ministers were quoted by the Pentagon.
In particular, they called on the Kremlin to ‘change course’ and on DPRK leader Kim Jong-un to ‘immediately withdraw’ North Korean troops that had been deployed to Russia.
Austin reiterated that, according to the United States, North Korea has redeployed about 10,000 troops to Russia. Some of them have already been moved closer to Ukraine and are being provided with Russian uniforms and equipment.
‘I am increasingly concerned that the Kremlin is planning to use these North Korean soldiers to support Russia's military operations in the Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine,’ the Pentagon chief said.
He added that asking the DPRK for such help ‘only underscores how many problems he (Vladimir Putin - ed.) has.’
‘Putin is not going to win in Ukraine, even with more help from North Korea,’ Austin said.
Kim Yong-hyun also called for the withdrawal of troops and condemned the violation of the rules-based order by North Korea and Russia. According to him, the DPRK leader sent his military to Russia as ‘cannon fodder’.
At the same time, the situation with the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia has raised the tone in the United Nations. Deputy US Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood warned that North Korean soldiers ‘will definitely leave in body bags’ if they enter Ukraine to support Russia.
‘So I would advise (North Korean) President Kim to think twice before engaging in such reckless and dangerous behaviour,’ Wood added before the UN Security Council.
Ukraine's Ambassador to the UN Serhii Kyslytsya confirmed Kyiv's accusations about the presence of 12,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia, adding that they are to ‘start directly participating in hostilities against Ukraine in November’.
For his part, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenča said he could not confirm the allegations.