U.S. confronts North Korea on troop deployment to Russia; North indirectly acknowledges at UN

At a UN Security Council meeting held at the UN headquarters in New York on November 27, the U.S. representative directly confronted North Korea’s delegate, asking whether the country had deployed troops to support Russia.

The unexpected question visibly unsettled the North Korean representative, who responded ambiguously, stating that North Korea would “remain faithful to the obligations of the North Korea-Russia treaty,” indirectly acknowledging the deployment.

Robert Wood, U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the UN, emphasized during the meeting, which was focused on the Ukraine crisis, that North Korea’s involvement had fundamentally altered the nature of Russia’s illegal war of aggression in Ukraine. He warned that this escalation posed an increasing threat not only to Ukraine but also to broader European security.

Turning to North Korean Ambassador Kim Song, Wood posed a pointed question: “It’s a very simple question, and I think this council would appreciate a very succinct answer, has DPRK [North Korea] deployed troops to Russia?”

According to a diplomat present in the chamber, Ambassador Kim appeared visibly flustered by the direct inquiry. Cameras broadcasting the session live captured Ambassador Wood as he posed the question.

In his subsequent response, Kim neither confirmed nor denied the deployment. Instead, he stated that the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty” between North Korea and Russia was “fully in line with international law and the UN Charter” and that North would “faithfully uphold its obligations under the treaty.”

Observers interpreted Kim’s comments as a tacit admission of troop deployment while emphasizing strengthened cooperation with Russia.

The Ukrainian representative, sitting nearby, glared at the North Korean delegate and condemned the regime, calling it a “spokesperson for a criminal government” and predicting its imminent collapse.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, speaking after Deputy Ambassador Wood, harshly criticized Kim Song’s remarks, dismissing them as “pulp fiction.”

Kyslytsya, addressing Kim directly, stated, “I stayed in this chamber to look you in the eye and say this: You represent a criminal regime aiding another criminal regime.” He further predicted that “you and your leadership will face judgment soon, and the people of your country will soon enjoy freedom, democracy, and liberty.”

Meanwhile Deputy Ambassador Wood added that Russia, suffering more than 1,000 casualties per day, introduced over 10,000 North Korean troops to the battlefield.

“The DPRK is preparing to transfer even more ballistic missiles,” he said. “We also have information a large number of DPRK-origin 170-millimeter long-range self-propelled artillery pieces and 240-millimeter long-range multiple rocket launchers are being introduced into the conflict.”

BY YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]