U.S. Issues Warning About Increasing North Korean Military Assistance for Russia's War Efforts

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The U.S. and its allies are expressing deep concern over North Korea’s escalating nuclear and missile threats, as well as its growing military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to a senior U.S. official on Wednesday. However, they have not confirmed Ukrainian claims that North Korean soldiers have been deployed to fight alongside Moscow.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell spoke to reporters after meeting with South Korean and Japanese officials to discuss revitalizing an international pressure campaign against North Korea, which has stalled in recent years due to increasing divisions within the U.N. Security Council.

Earlier in the day, the U.S., South Korea, and Japan, along with eight Western nations, announced plans to form a new multinational team aimed at monitoring the enforcement of sanctions against North Korea.

In March, Russia vetoed a U.N. resolution that effectively dismantled the monitoring of Security Council sanctions against North Korea, leading to accusations from Western nations that Moscow is seeking to obscure its arms purchases from Pyongyang to support its war efforts in Ukraine.

Campbell noted that there are indications North Korea is enhancing its provision of military supplies, such as artillery and missiles, to Russia, which he described as “creating further instability in Europe.” He added that the U.S. is still assessing reports regarding the possible deployment of North Korean personnel.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has alleged that North Korea is sending military personnel to aid Russia, though specific details remain sparse. Reports from Ukrainian media indicated that six North Koreans were among those killed in a Ukrainian missile strike in the partially occupied Donetsk region on October 3.

North Korea has also ramped up its aggressive rhetoric towards South Korea, accusing it of deploying drones to drop anti-North Korean propaganda over Pyongyang, and threatening retaliation if such actions continue.

On Tuesday, North Korea destroyed sections of unused road and rail routes that previously connected it to South Korea, a symbolic act reflecting its growing frustration with the conservative government in Seoul.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have intensified since 2022, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un leveraging Russia's war in Ukraine to accelerate weapons testing and threats. In response, Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo have bolstered their military cooperation and refined their nuclear deterrence strategies, focusing on strategic U.S. assets.

Following discussions with Campbell and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano, South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun emphasized their shared commitment to maintaining a robust combined posture to counter North Korean provocations and strengthen security cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.

The diplomats issued a joint statement condemning North Korea's nuclear and missile advancements, its deepening military ties with Russia, and various illicit activities funding its weapons programs. They reaffirmed the United States' "ironclad" commitment to defending its allies.

The statement also addressed rising tensions with China, expressing opposition to "any unilateral attempts to change the status quo" in the Indo-Pacific region and criticized recent Chinese military drills around Taiwan, urging that no further actions be taken that could jeopardize peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.