Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, has expressed concerns that North Korean forces stationed in Russia’s Kursk region will actively join the conflict against Ukraine in the near future. He brought these fears to light on Thursday, emphasising the importance of China utilising its sway over Pyongyang to keep peace.
These comments were made following North Korea’s latest and longest intercontinental ballistic missile test on Thursday. South Korea has raised concern that Russia may supply missile technology to North Korea in return for military aid in the Ukrainian war.
Blinken outlined that roughly 10,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed in Russia, about 8,000 of whom are in the Kursk region. Ukrainian forces have successfully held their ground here since August, despite being located on the Russian border.
In a joint press conference with US Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin and their South Korean counterparts, Blinken elaborated on the fact that the North Korean soldiers are being trained by Russia in artillery, basic infantry operations and drone handling. They are expected to join the frontline soon and would be classified military targets on the battlefield.
During the press conference, Blinken and Austin also discussed potential response strategies with South Korea, criticising Russia for using North Korean forces in what he labelled its “meat grinder” campaign against Ukraine, a move he perceived as a sure sign of Russia’s weakening stance.
Austin announced that they plan to provide additional security assistance for Ukraine soon.
The ICBM launch was condemned as a blatant breach of UN Security Council resolutions by Blinken as well as his South Korean and Japanese counterparts. Given its 87-minute flight-time as reported by South Korea, virtually the entire US is now within range. The Kremlin, however, refused to respond to queries about whether it was aiding North Korea in the development of missiles and other military technologies.
Lastly, Blinken expressed how both Beijing and Washington should be alarmed about Russia’s potential role in advancing North Korea’s military capabilities in light of the instability it causes in Asia. Austin added that as of now, there is no evidence of Russian involvement in the missile launch.
In an announcement, Blinken expressed that the United States and South Korea are mutually urging China to exert greater effort in restraining North Korea’s combative behaviours. He revealed they administered a strong discourse with Chinese delegates in recent times, relaying their concerns and the urgency for the country to utilise its influence to suppress these actions. Beijing, an ally of both Moscow and Pyongyang, has reiterated its calls for all sides’ de-escalation and a political resolution for the Korean conflict.
In response to a missile launch, a United Nations Security Council meeting was solicited by countries such as the United States, France, Japan, Malta, South Korea, Slovenia and Britain. The meeting, according to two diplomats, should convene on Monday.
The U.S alleges China, having entered an unrestricted partnership with Moscow before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has upheld the Kremlin’s war by providing dual-use good for the Russian defence industry. These allegations concerning what China terms regular commerce with Russia, have been dismissed by the country.
Discussing Ukraine’s ability to maintain control over Russian territory in Kursk, Austin noted that the presence of North Korean soldiers is considerably smaller than the recent casualties Russia has incurred – with an approximate figure of 1,250 per day. He underlined that the Ukrainian forces have viable options available to them, if they decide to retain control of the region.
Some Western observers argue that China should find any North Korean involvement in Russia’s war worrying, as it could lead to Pyongyang reducing its reliance on Beijing and establish strengthened ties between America’s European and Asian allies. However, Sydney Seiler, an ex-US national intelligence officer for North Korea, stated that China’s concern hasn’t reached a level where they would actively oppose these deployments. He clarified that while China might not openly support this, they would not take the necessary actions to prevent it. – Reuters
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