US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday there is evidence North Korea has sent troops to Russia, but that the purpose of the deployment is still unknown.
It is the first confirmation from the US government of warnings from South Korea's spy agency, which has said Pyongyang deployed troops to help its Russian ally in its grinding war against Ukraine.
"We are seeing evidence that there are North Korean troops that have gone to... Russia," Austin told journalists, according to a Washington Post video of his remarks.
"What exactly they're doing? Left to be seen," he said, adding: "If they're co-belligerents, their intention is to participate in this war on Russia's behalf, that is a very, very serious issue."
Pyongyang and Moscow have drawn closer since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with Seoul and Washington claiming that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been sending weapons for use in the conflict.
Seoul's spy agency said last week that North Korea had deployed an initial contingent of 1,500 special forces soldiers to Russia's Vladivostok, and told lawmakers on Wednesday that more troops were sent, bringing the total to 3,000.
North Korea has previously denied deploying forces to Russia, while Moscow has not confirmed it, but has defended its military cooperation with Pyongyang.
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