
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH) raised alarms on Friday, urging the Biden administration to address reports of North Korean troops in Russia possibly being deployed to Ukraine. Turner insisted that any involvement of North Korean forces in the Ukraine conflict would cross a “red line” for the United States and its NATO allies.
“These troop movements, if true, are alarming and are an extreme escalation of the conflict in Ukraine,” Turner wrote in a letter to President Biden. He called for immediate action, arguing that U.S. and NATO forces need to respond quickly to prevent a larger war.
According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, 1,500 North Korean special forces are currently stationed in Russia’s Far East. These troops are reportedly preparing to fight for Russian President Vladimir Putin, potentially using Russian equipment and false identities to mask their involvement.
Turner criticized the Biden administration for failing to brief Congress on these developments. He stressed the need for a classified briefing, citing the potential for North Korean troops to greatly intensify the conflict. “The administration has not briefed the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence or the House Armed Services Committee of any assessments by U.S. intelligence agencies or the Department of Defense regarding these troop movements,” Turner stated.
North Korea’s deployment, if confirmed, would mark its most significant military involvement since the Korean War. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also expressed concern, claiming that North Korea may send an additional 10,000 soldiers to bolster Russia’s forces.