US warns that North Korea becomes more prepared for war against its neighbors
North Korean military (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
North Korean forces are gaining combat experience by participating in Russia's war against Ukraine. As a result, Pyongyang is becoming better prepared for a potential military campaign against its neighboring countries, states the deputy US ambassador to the UN Camille Shea at a UN Security Council meeting.
The US representative to the UN noted that over 12,000 North Korean military personnel are in Russia, and last month, North Korean soldiers participated in battles in the Kursk region against Ukraine's defense forces.
According to the American diplomat, North Korean forces are gaining familiarity with Russian military equipment and technology in the context of modern full-scale warfare during these combat operations.
As Shea explained, North Korea is currently gaining significant advantages from acquiring Russian military equipment, technologies, and experience, making it more capable of waging war against its neighbors.
The US representative at the UN also added that North Korea is likely to use these advancements to promote contracts for weapon sales and military training worldwide.
North Korean military involvement on the side of Russia in the war against Ukraine
According to reports from Kyiv and Western sources, approximately 12,000 North Korean soldiers have already been sent to Russia to assist Moscow in the war against Ukraine. A portion of these North Korean soldiers, after undergoing training, were deployed to the Kursk region to participate in battles as part of the Russian army against Ukrainian forces.
On December 16, 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia had already begun involving North Korean soldiers in the fighting in the Kursk region.
On December 27, the White House revealed that the North Korean soldiers in the Russian army have suffered significant losses, and some North Korean military personnel have reportedly committed suicide.
At the end of December, the Pentagon stated that they did not see significant effectiveness from the attacks of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region, given the reported substantial losses among them.
In December, South Korean intelligence estimated the losses of North Korea in the war against Ukraine to be around 1,100 soldiers.
Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview, mentioned that Russia had lost up to a battalion of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region within two days. The president further specified that 3,800 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded.
