U.S. Defense "There's evidence that North Korean troops are in Russia."

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says he has evidence that North Korean troops are in Russia.

"There is evidence that North Korean troops are in Russia," Austin told reporters in Rome, Italy, on the 23rd local time.

Asked about North Korea's intention to dispatch troops, he said, "What exactly are they doing? We'll have to wait and see. This is an issue that we need to figure out," he added.

It is the first time that the U.S. government officially recognized the dispatch of North Korean troops to Russia.

While Ukraine and our government have defined the dispatch of North Korean troops to Russia as a fait accompli, the U.S., the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and NATO have expressed strong concerns but have maintained an attitude that they cannot confirm the fact.