US responds to potential North Korean military involvement in Russia's Kursk region

The United States has signalled a strong response to reports that North Korean military personnel may be operating in the Kursk region, Russia, potentially participating in active combat operations.

Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor, confirmed that Washington is closely monitoring the situation and is prepared to take retaliatory actions if the information is substantiated, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

Sullivan indicated that South Korea, Japan, and several European Union nations are collaborating with the US to formulate a coordinated strategy to address the issue. The proposed measures could encompass both diplomatic initiatives and increased military and financial support for Ukraine, he added.

Sullivan emphasized that a "comprehensive set of policy decisions" would be enacted, involving both diplomatic channels and material support for Ukraine. "I believe there will be a coordinated set of policy decisions that we will make: diplomatic, relating to material support for Ukraine and others," he said, highlighting the importance of a unified international approach.

Earlier, the US State Department claimed that approximately 10,000 soldiers from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) had been deployed to the Kursk region along Russia’s border. However, the US Department of Defense acknowledged that it could not confirm reports regarding the presence of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine.

North Korea’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Kim Song, denied the allegations during a recent UN meeting. He stated that North Korea had not sent any troops to Ukraine, describing the reports as part of an effort to discredit Pyongyang and harm its relations with other sovereign states.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that North Korea may be covertly involved in the conflict, aligning with Russia, although he provided no supporting evidence for his claim.

By Vafa Guliyeva