UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over reports of North Korean troops ‘deployment to Russia, fearing an escalation of the war in Ukraine, according to his spokesperson.
“The Secretary-General is very concerned about reports of troops from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea being sent to the Russian Federation, including their possible deployment to the conflict zone,” said Stephane Dujarric, the UN chief’s spokesperson in a statement on Sunday.
He cautioned that this development would represent a serious escalation in the Ukraine war and emphasized the importance of preventing any internationalization of the conflict in his Sunday statement.
Guterres' comments follow US intelligence confirming that thousands of North Korean soldiers were heading to Russia's Kursk region on Ukraine’s border.
Guterres reiterated his call for “all meaningful efforts toward a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in Ukraine.”
Both the US and Ukraine have criticized Russia for breaching the UN charter by involving North Korea in the prolonged conflict, highlighting the international sanctions imposed on Kim Jong-un's regime.
US intelligence has reported that 10,000 North Korean soldiers have already been stated in Kursk where Ukraine launched an incursion in early August. However, according to Ukrainian estimates, around 12,000 North Koreans are engaged in combat on Russia's behalf.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has urged his allies to respond to North Korea’s deployment in Russia. “Everyone is just waiting for the North Korean military to start attacking Ukrainians as well," Zelenskiy said.
