US will not limit Ukraine in striking North Korean military if they join Russia's war – Pentagon

Ukraine can use American-supplied weapons against North Korean troops if they enter the war on Russia's side, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said at a briefing.

The spokesperson was asked if the U.S. would impose any restrictions on Ukraine's use of American weapons against North Korean military personnel.

"No. If we see DPRK troops moving in and towards the front lines, they are co-belligerents in the war," Singh explained, adding that this was also stated by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

Singh noted that the potential appearance of North Korean military personnel on the front line would confirm that Russian forces "may be in more trouble than people realize."

"They (North Korea -ed.) are sending their soldiers in into a war where we're seeing Russian casualties and losses upwards of 500,000 at this point. That is a calculation that, you know, DPRK leadership is making to send their soldiers into combat," Singh said, highlighting that Ukraine, unlike Russia and North Korea, is fighting on its own territory.

When asked if there are currently North Korean soldiers in Kursk, Singh said that "they are moving" in that direction.

On October 26, The New York Times reported that Pyongyang will send 5,000 elite troops to Russia by the end of October.

On October 28, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed the presence of North Korean troops on Russian territory.

That same day, The Wall Street Journal reported that the North Korean soldiers sent to Russia are mostly undernourished teenagers under the age of 20 who have faced food shortages in North Korea.