"North Korea confirmed the dispatch of troops to Russia...Serious concern"

The Japanese government has acknowledged North Korea's dispatch of troops to Russia.

Ken Nakatani said at a press conference today that he believes North Korean soldiers are being sent to eastern Russia for training after collecting and analyzing related information in cooperation with the U.S. and other countries.

In a related development, Japanese government spokesman Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi also told a news conference that the North Korean military is watching with serious concern, including the possibility that it will participate in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Asahi Shimbun reported that the North's dispatch of troops could affect the security of East Asia, predicting that strengthening the North Korean military's capabilities will further increase medical cooperation with Asian neighbors such as South Korea and Japan.

Earlier, the United States, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and NATO officially acknowledged North Korea's dispatch of troops to Russia on the 23rd local time.