US Admits: 10K North Korean Troops in Kursk
Washington’s Silence Hints at Strategy — or Uncertainty
After evading questions and deflecting answers, the Biden administration has finally acknowledged that North Korean troops are in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. However, it is still a partial acceptance, as they continue to maneuver within a gray zone.
During a press conference, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder stated, “At this point, we cannot corroborate those reports. But as you heard [Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III] say last week, should these troops engage in combat support operations against Ukraine, they would become legitimate military targets.”
Should these troops engage in combat support operations….
What are they going to Kursk for?
The reason for remaining in this gray zone is simple: they want to avoid addressing the follow-up question that comes after accepting the presence of North Korean troops in Kursk with the intent to participate in combat.
What will be the American response to this escalation by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un?
This is a sensitive question for an administration desperately trying to control the escalation ladder, yet continuously falling short. The takeaway is clear: they do not have a plan. None whatsoever.
After watching this administration for more than two and a half years, their silence signifies only one thing — they don’t have a clue. I used to believe they were highly strategic, planning something in secret, refraining from revealing their response to the world. But that has never been the case since the start of this war. So, I don’t expect this administration to surprise us by flexing its strength to put the axis of autocrats in its place.
The deployment of 10,000 North Korean troops to Kursk Oblast is a test. Putin has used this tactic numerous times. He will commit a war crime and wait for the West’s response. When met with inaction, he will escalate further.
Had the world responded with fury when he bombed children and families sheltering in the Mariupol theater early in the war, would he have dared to bomb Kyiv’s largest children’s hospital? No, he would have likely taken his bombs elsewhere.
It has been nearly a month since Ukraine reported the impending arrival of DPRK troops, and weeks since South Korea confirmed the same. Yet, there has been no response from the West. This silence has essentially granted Putin the license he needs to continue drawing more troops from North Korea to fill his manpower shortage.
The Russian army is in a dire state. Nearly 42,000 Russian troops were either killed or wounded in October alone — double the casualties from October last year. Putin needs to maintain the offensive during the U.S. presidential transition period, a necessity I explained in detail yesterday.
To fulfill this need for constant offense, he requires more troops. But pulling 1,500 soldiers from the Russian workforce has disastrous consequences for the Russian economy, which continues to shrink at an alarming pace. North Korea is his only viable option. Iran could have stepped in, but with Israel’s recent escalation in the war with Iran, they are holding on to their resources. Under current conditions, not much support will come from Iran.
North Korea remains Putin’s only accessible source of troops. And since the West has not responded thus far, it’s reasonable to expect another 10,000 DPRK troops — or perhaps even more — to arrive at the front lines. My confidence in the Biden administration’s ability to respond forcefully to this escalation has faded. I now place my trust in South Korea.
For every 10,000 troops Kim Jong Un sends to Ukraine, he will receive something from Putin in return. It could be money, technology, trade agreements, or any number of benefits. This partnership will only strengthen North Korea, and it could easily spiral out of control.
This deepening alliance between autocracies poses an existential threat to South Korea. I don’t think they will sit idly by and watch this unfold. They will respond. How, with what, and when — I don’t know. But I trust that South Korea’s national security team is less confused than the one in the United States.
So far, South Korea has informed the West of the situation and has been waiting for a collective response. They will likely realize soon that no meaningful response is forthcoming, at least not until Kamala Harris assumes the U.S. presidency.
If South Korea reaches that point, I believe they will mobilize their own strength. I am confident they will support Ukraine in a way that either halts the growing nexus between North Korea and Russia or leads to Ukraine’s victory over this dangerous alliance.
I don’t want to ‘like’ such a dire, scary situation— I wish there was a ‘recommended read’ button which will be more emotionally appropriate.