North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has accused the United States and Western nations of using Ukraine’s military as “shock troops” against Russia, warning that their continued support risks escalating the conflict into a global war, according to state media on Monday.
The US and South Korea have alleged that North Korea has sent over 10,000 soldiers to assist Russia in the war against Ukraine. Experts believe Kim is seeking access to advanced Russian military technology and combat experience for his troops in exchange.
However, Pyongyang has denied any deployment of its forces, and Kim did not address these claims in his speech to battalion commanders, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency.
Kim criticized the US and its allies for using the Ukraine conflict to “broaden the scope of their global military interventions,” asserting that they are attempting to “gain combat experience” by treating Ukrainian forces as frontline troops against Russia. He warned that Washington’s ongoing military aid to Ukraine “raises the concern of a potential World War III.”
In response to the escalating situation, Kim pledged to strengthen North Korea’s nuclear weapons capabilities “without limit.”
This statement follows claims from South Korea last week that North Korean troops had already started “engaging in combat operations” alongside Russian forces near the Ukrainian border.
Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, noted that Kim might be considering additional troop deployments to bolster Russia’s war efforts.
Western officials are concerned that in exchange for North Korea’s military support, Russia could provide technological assistance to advance Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.
The deployment of North Korean soldiers to assist Russia has prompted a shift in South Korea’s stance. While Seoul has previously refrained from sending lethal aid to Kyiv, recent developments suggest it may reconsider its position.
