The U.S. should "seriously consider taking direct military action against… North Korean troops" if they enter Russia's war in Ukraine, U.S. Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Michael R. Turner said.
In an Oct. 23 statement, Turner, a Republican party representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, called on the administration of President Joe Biden, a Democrat, to "make clear" that Pyongyang joining Moscow's full-scale invasion would be a "red line for the United States."
Earlier in the day, the U.S. publicly confirmed for the first time that it had evidence that North Korean troops were in Russia, with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin saying it "remains to be seen" if they would join the fighting.
Two North Korean brigades of up to 6,000 personnel each are currently undergoing training in Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 22.
"Now that Secretary Austin has finally acknowledged that North Korean troops are in Russia preparing to enter the conflict with Ukraine, the Biden-Harris Administration must make clear that North Korean troops entering this conflict are a red line for the United States," Turner said.
"If North Korean troops were to invade Ukraine’s sovereign territory, the United States needs to seriously consider taking direct military action against the North Korean troops."
Kamila Hrabchuk
The comments from Turner are the strongest by far from a U.S. politician on the matter and come less than two weeks before Kamala Harris, Biden’s vice president, is to square off for the presidency in an election where she faces Donald Trump from the Republican party.
Trump, who seeks a return to the presidency, has expressed fondness for Russian President Vladimir Putin and questions future U.S. military assistance for Ukraine while insisting he can broker a swift peace agreement.
And while rhetoric between Democrats and Republicans is escalating ahead of the hotly contested vote, Turner has been a consistent supporter of Ukraine during Russia's full-scale invasion.
In February, he was part of a bipartisan delegation that visited Kyiv to express solidarity with Ukraine as a military aid bill remained tied up in Congress due to political infighting.
On Oct. 23, the White House said North Korean troops deployed to fight for Russia against Ukraine are "fair game."
"If they do deploy to fight against Ukraine, they're fair game, they're fair targets, and the Ukrainian military will defend themselves against North Korean soldiers the same way they're defending themselves against Russian soldiers," U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told a press briefing at the White House.
"And so the possibility that there could be dead and wounded North Korean soldiers… is absolutely real if they get deployed."
Kirby also revealed details of U.S. intelligence assessments, saying Washington believes North Korea "moved at least 3,000 soldiers into eastern Russia."
"We assess that these soldiers traveled by ship from the Wan area in North Korea to Vladivostok, Russia," he said, adding: "These soldiers then traveled onward to multiple Russian military training sites in eastern Russia where they are currently undergoing training."
Kirby said it was too early to say for sure if they "will enter into combat alongside the Russian military," but added it was a "highly concerning probability."
"We have briefed the Ukrainian government on our understanding of this situation, and we're certainly consulting closely with other allies, partners and countries in the region on the implications of such a dramatic move, and on how we might respond," Kirby said.
"I expect to have more to share on all of that in the coming days," he added.
Chris York
