The U.S. has warned that North Korea is becoming increasingly prepared for potential conflict with its neighboring countries.

North Korean troops are gaining combat experience by participating in Russia's war against Ukraine. As a result, Pyongyang is becoming better prepared for a potential military campaign against its neighboring countries.

This was stated by U.S. Deputy Ambassador Dorothy Camilla Shea during a United Nations Security Council meeting, as reported by RBK-Ukraine citing The Guardian.

The U.S. representative at the UN noted that over 12,000 North Korean military personnel are currently in Russia, and last month, North Korean soldiers joined the fighting in the Kursk region against the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

According to the American diplomat, North Korean forces are acquiring skills and equipment from the Russian Armed Forces during these combat operations in the context of a modern full-scale war.

Therefore, Shea explained, North Korea is currently "gaining significant advantages from obtaining Russian military equipment, technologies, and experience, which enhances its capability to wage war against its neighbors."

The U.S. representative at the UN added that North Korea is likely to want to "leverage these advancements to promote arms sales and military training worldwide."

North Korean Troops' Involvement on Russia's Side in the War Against Ukraine

It is worth noting that, according to Kyiv and certain Western nations, around 12,000 North Korean soldiers have already been sent to Russia to assist Moscow in its war against Ukraine. A portion of these North Korean troops has been deployed to the Kursk region after training to participate alongside the Russian army in battles against the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

As President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated on December 16, 2024, the Russian Federation has begun to involve North Korean soldiers in the fighting in the Kursk region.

On December 27, the White House reported that there are significant losses among North Korean soldiers in the Russian army, with some North Korean military personnel committing suicide.

At the end of December, the Pentagon stated that they do not see significant effectiveness from the attacks of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region in light of reports of their substantial losses.

South Korean intelligence estimated in December that North Korean losses in the war against Ukraine are around 1,100 military personnel.

Recently, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned in an interview that Russia lost up to a battalion of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region within two days. The head of state specified that "3,800 North Korean troops have been killed or wounded."