Blinken "During the Battle of the North Korean Army..."Looking forward to supporting partner countries"

While the U.S. State Department has officially confirmed that North Korean troops have been deployed to fight in Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken has warned that he will respond firmly to the North Korean military's participation in the war.

"North Korean troops have been put into battle and are literally in battle right now," Blinken told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, adding that he would "do so, demanding a firm response."

"The purpose of this visit is to ensure the necessary funds and ammunition so that Ukraine can fight effectively next year or negotiate peace in a strong position," he said.

To that end, he stressed that "President Biden is in a firm position to ensure that all available funds reach Ukraine before January 20 next year, before Trump takes office."

Blinken also said, "We expect Europe and other partners to support Ukraine more strongly," indicating the possibility of more aggressive demands from South Korea and other countries.

In addition, he said, "50 countries around the world are supporting Ukraine and we look forward to increasing it."

Since the outbreak of the war in February 2022, the Biden administration has led the Ukraine Defense Liaison Group, a coordinated Ukraine-backed cooperation group, which includes more than 50 countries, including South Korea.

Earlier, following the U.S. State Department, the South Korean National Intelligence Service officially confirmed that North Korean troops are moving to Kursk and participating in actual combat.