‘This Concerns Me’: Biden

US President Joe Biden stated that Ukraine must retaliate if North Korean forces cross into Ukrainian territory, adding that he is concerned about the presence of North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region. This was reported by Reuters.

“This concerns me,” Biden said in response to a question about the presence of North Korean troops in Kursk. “If they enter Ukraine, yes,” he responded when asked whether Ukrainians should retaliate.

Just the day before, Biden had announced that North Korea sending thousands of troops to Russia is a “very dangerous” development.

It should be noted that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that North Korea has sent troops to Russia, and that they are currently in the Kursk region. “The deepening of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to both Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security. It undermines peace on the Korean Peninsula and escalates Russia's war against Ukraine,” Rutte said.

Last week, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed that the US government has evidence that North Korea has sent military forces to Russia. At the same time, Austin emphasized that the purpose of sending the troops remains unclear.

Ukraine and South Korea have repeatedly accused North Korea of sending troops to Russia with the intention of utilizing them in the war. NATO and the US previously did not confirm the troop movements. “Our analysts continue to investigate. We are now seeing evidence that North Korean troops have gone to Russia. What they will do is still unclear. But yes, there is evidence that DPRK forces are in Russia,” Austin said.