North Korea Confirms Troop Deployment to Support Russia in Ukraine

North Korea has officially acknowledged deploying troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine, marking its first direct military intervention abroad since the Korean War. Both Moscow and Pyongyang, after previously denying such involvement, now credit North Korean forces with assisting Russia in recapturing the Kursk region, an operation reportedly sanctioned under a new mutual defense treaty signed by Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin. U.S., South Korean, and Ukrainian intelligence estimate that over 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia, suffering significant casualties. The public admission of this military alliance highlights the growing confidence and emboldened posture of authoritarian regimes on the world stage, with experts noting its implications for regional and global security. This development complicates U.S. efforts to broker a peace deal in Ukraine and further solidifies the strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea, as well as Russia's increasing alignment with other states like China and Iran.