America and South Korea have asked Pyongyang to withdraw its troops from Russia

The defense chiefs of the United States and South Korea on Wednesday called on North Korea to withdraw its troops from Russia, where Washington says about 10,000 troops are deployed for possible use against Ukrainian forces.

“I ask you to withdraw your troops from Russia,” demanded U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon, speaking with his South Korean counterpart Kim Yong-hyun. Hostilities.” Threat to the security of the Korean Peninsula.

Austin said Washington “will continue to work with allies and partners to prevent Russia from using these troops in combat,” which he accused of being equipped with Russian uniforms and weapons.

In a more pointed message addressed to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the US delegation to the UN hours later warned North Korea that its troops would be returned in “body bags” if they entered Ukraine.

Robert Wood, deputy ambassador to the Security Council, said, “I would advise President Kim to think twice before engaging in such a reckless and dangerous action.”

Russia’s envoy to the United Nations had just minutes earlier at the same forum denied the presence of North Korean troops in the war in Ukraine, calling the allegations “simple claims.”

Vasily Nebenzia, who accused Washington and London of “propaganda”, said, “These statements about North Korean troops on our front are simplistic statements and are only intended to divert attention from important problems that threaten international peace and security.” Are.”

According to the United States and South Korea, about 10,000 North Korean troops are in Russia, although their mission has not been clearly identified.

The Pentagon said Tuesday it has detected a “small number” of North Korean troops deployed in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have been conducting ground attacks since August.

– weapon support –

Early Thursday, North Korea launched a “long-range ballistic missile” into the Sea of ​​Japan, the South Korean military said, in its first weapons test since Russia accused Russia of sending troops.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said, “Our military has raised its alert level and shared information about North Korean ballistic missiles with officials in the United States and Japan.”

Experts have noted that in return for force support, North Korea likely intends to acquire military technology ranging from surveillance satellites to submarines, as well as potential security guarantees from Moscow.

The South Korean minister in Washington insisted there is a “strong possibility” that Pyongyang will ask Russia for technology transfers to support its weapons programs.

However, the official did not announce any changes to the policy of Seoul, which has long banned arms sales to active conflict zones, including Ukraine, despite calls from Washington and Kiev to reconsider that stance. Is.

When Kim was asked if South Korea planned to indirectly supply ammunition to Ukraine, he said, “At the moment, nothing has been decided.”

For its part, Pyongyang has denied supplying troops to Russia, although the two countries have strengthened their political and military alliance since the Ukraine conflict began.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has not ruled out the deployment of North Korean troops, although he has not confirmed it either.

This Wednesday, Russian diplomats announced that North Korean Foreign Minister Cho Son Hui will visit Moscow to hold “strategic” talks with his Russian counterpart.

Amid this dispute over military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, Chinese diplomacy chief Wang Yi addressed the war in Ukraine with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko in Beijing.

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