US would regard North Korean troops entering Ukraine as escalation – US Department of State

The US Department of State has said that there have been casualties among North Korea's military in Kursk Oblast and warned that the potential deployment of North Korean soldiers to Ukraine to take part in hostilities would be regarded as an escalation.

Source: Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US Department of State, during a briefing, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Miller was asked whether the North Korean military would become legitimate targets of Ukraine if they crossed the border.

In response, Miller said that the US believes that "North Korean soldiers who were deployed to Kursk are already legitimate targets".

Quote from Matthew Miller: "They entered a war, and they are, as such, combatants and are legitimate targets for the Ukrainian military."

Miller noted that he had seen North Korean soldiers who had been killed in action on the battlefield in Russia. 

Quote from Matthew Miller: "And if they were to cross the border into Ukraine, that would be yet another escalation by the Government of Russia and also an escalation by the Government of North Korea to send North Korean troops to prosecute a war of aggression against an independent, sovereign nation inside that nation’s borders."

He also stressed that this would be an absolute escalation on the part of the North Korean government.

Miller added that in the context of these events, the United States had been taking steps to strengthen Ukraine's defence capabilities in recent weeks.

Quote from Matthew Miller: "And we will continue to do so."

For reference: North Korea and Russia have increased their cooperation since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The countries signed an agreement that obliges each party to provide immediate military aid to the other in the event of armed aggression against one of them.

Background: 

• The day before, the Ukrainian military released photos and videos of Russian and North Korean soldiers killed in Kursk Oblast after recent assaults.
• Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported that North Korean units had lost at least 30 soldiers killed or wounded.
• Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder confirmed that North Korean troops had engaged in combat on Russia’s side for the first time in Kursk Oblast and suffered losses.

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