Speaking at the G7 Defense Ministers Meeting in Rome, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the U.S. has found evidence of North Korean troops being sent to Russia.
"What exactly they're doing will have to be seen. These are things that we need to sort out. We'll have more for you on that later. But..... as we continue to look at this, there is evidence that there are [North Korean] troops in Russia," Austin said.
He emphasized that the potential involvement of North Korean troops in the conflict could have serious repercussions, not just in Europe but also in South Korea and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
"We'll continue to pull this thread and see what happens here. If they're co-belligerents, if their intention is to participate in this war on Russia's behalf, that is a very, very serious issue," Austin added.
In response to the latest development, the South Korean government warned earlier this week that it would take "phased measures" in line with the level of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
Seoul has called for the immediate withdrawal of North Korean troops from Russia, hinting that it could consider sending lethal weapons to Ukraine as part of its response. Seoul has provided modest supplies so far, including military uniforms and other equipment in addition to humanitarian aid.
But Moscow continues to deny the deployment of North Korean troops. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova dismissed the reports as "fake" and warned that South Korea could face "security consequences."
"They should think about the security consequences if it gets involved in the Ukrainian crisis," she said during a press briefing.
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