On Monday, NATO confirmed that North Korean troops have been dispatched to Russia to assist in its conflict with Ukraine.
According to reports, some of these troops have already been deployed in Russia’s Kursk region, where Russian forces are countering a Ukrainian incursion.
“Today, I can confirm that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, and that North Korean military units have been deployed to the Kursk region,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told reporters.
Rutte said that the move represents “a significant escalation” in North Korea’s involvement in the conflict and marks “a dangerous expansion of Russia’s war.”
His comments followed a briefing at NATO headquarters in Brussels, where a high-level South Korean delegation—comprising senior intelligence, military officials, and diplomats—provided an update to the alliance’s 32 national ambassadors.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press