The United States has issued a forceful new demand to North Korea after Pyongyang officially confirmed that it has deployed troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.
According to recent reports, North Korea initially sent between 10,000 and 12,000 troops to Russia last year. An additional 3,000 soldiers were dispatched more recently, following heavy losses among the initial forces deployed along the Russia-Ukraine front lines.
While rumors of North Korean military involvement have circulated for some time, official confirmation came only yesterday (April 28). North Korean leader Kim Jong Un justified the deployment under a mutual defense treaty, claiming the troops were sent to “annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers” and to help “liberate the Kursk area” in coordination with Russian forces.
Kim Jong Un is supporting Vladimir Putin’s efforts in Russia’s war against Ukraine (VLADIMIR SMIRNOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland,” Kim said, according to the statement sent to state media.
In the wake of North Korea confirming that it’s supporting Russia, the US has sent a strong message urging it to stop sending troops to its neighboring country.
“We continue to be concerned by [North Korea’s] direct involvement in the war. [North Korea’s] military deployment to Russia and any support provided by the Russian Federation to [North Korea] in return must end,” a US Department of State spokesperson said in an email on Monday, The Independent reports.
The US Department of State has urged North Korea to stop sending troops to Russia (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
As well as troops, North Korea has been supplying a vast amount of conventional weapons to Russia. South Korea, the US and their partners worry Russia could reward North Korea by transferring high-tech weapons technologies, which could enhance its nuclear weapons programme.
North Korea is expected to receive economic and other assistance from Russia as well, says PA.
The US government’s warning to North Korea comes just days after Donald Trump issued a message to Putin stating that ‘too many people are dying’ in the war.
Donald Trump has already tried to get Putin to stop attacking Ukraine (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,” the POTUS penned.
Trump added: “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
Since returning to office at the beginning of the year, Trump has been trying to negotiate a peace deal between both Ukraine and Russia. He’s had some small successes with there being a couple of temporary ceasefires, but the war is yet to come to a indefinite end.
