**North Korean Soldiers in Ukraine are Fair Targets**
The US government says that North Korean soldiers fighting with Russian forces in eastern Ukraine are legitimate targets for the Ukrainian military. This was said by a spokesperson from the US State Department, Matthew Miller, on December 16.
He made these comments after the Pentagon confirmed that some North Korean soldiers have been killed in action while fighting against Ukraine. Miller said that because they are involved in a war, North Korean soldiers can be targeted by the Ukrainian military.
**Escalation Warning**
If North Korean troops were to cross into Ukraine and start fighting there, the US would consider it a significant increase in the conflict. Miller warned that this would also mean an escalation for Russia and North Korea.
However, he did not say what action the US would take if this happened.
**North Korean Troops’ Role**
There have been reports of North Koreans working with Russian forces in Kursk Oblast since December 14, when Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky made the claims. Since then, at least 30 North Korean personnel have been killed or wounded in battles there.
The US and Ukraine had warned about the possible deployment of North Korean soldiers to this region for months before this happened.