US and South Korea Call for North Korean Troop Withdrawal from Russia

US and South Korean defense ministers Lloyd Austin and Kim Yong-hyun have urged North Korea to pull its troops out of Russia, with reports indicating that around 10,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed there for potential engagement against Ukrainian forces, according to AFP.

The deepening political and military ties between Russia and North Korea amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine raise significant international concerns, particularly regarding the potential deployment of North Korean troops in combat against Ukraine. Such a move would represent a major escalation in the conflict.

Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations, Serhiy Kyslytsya, has warned that these North Korean soldiers, disguised in Russian uniforms and embedded within ethnic minority units, are anticipated to be involved in fighting against Ukrainian troops as early as November.

However, Russia's UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, dismissed claims of North Korean soldiers in Russia, accusing Washington and London of spreading "disinformation." He argued that Moscow's dealings with North Korea are consistent with international law.