Russia, North Korean military mobilization Kursk 'all-out war'...U.S. "Strictly Respond to North Korea's War"

[Anchor]
Following the U.S., NATO officially confirmed the North Korean military's participation in the war as Russia mobilized its military forces to retake Kursk.

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken has warned of a decisive response to the North Korean troops in combat.

Reporter Jeong Yu-shin's report.

[Reporter]
This is a video of fighting in the Kursk region released by the Ukrainian military.

Soldiers crawl out of a Russian tank destroyed by a drone strike.

Ukrainian forces have destroyed a significant number of tanks and armored vehicles in Kursk, claiming that more than a thousand Russian soldiers are killed a day.

Russia also countered that more than 300 Ukrainian troops were killed on the 12th.

Before President-elect Trump takes office in January next year, there is an all-out war between the two countries to occupy even one more piece of territory.

The U.S. State Department says more than 10,000 North Korean troops sent to Russia have been mobilized in the Kursk recapture operation.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken, who visited NATO, warned of a firm response, saying the North Korean military was actually engaged in combat.

[Tony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State]: The North Korean military has been put into battle, and it's literally in battle right now. A firm response is required here and that will happen.]

However, Secretary Blinken did not comment on specific countermeasures.

Foreign media have said Ukraine could lift restrictions on Western long-range weapons on Russian mainland.

Blinken also indicated the possibility of demanding additional support from South Korea and other countries, saying, "We expect our partners to support us more strongly."

NATO also officially confirmed its participation in the North Korean military's combat, noting that it would pose a threat not only to the United States but also to the Asia-Pacific region.

[Marc Rutter, Secretary-General of NATO: The North Korean military has faced a new danger. This is not free. Putin pays the price (with missile technology).]

For the first time since late August, Russian forces have launched cruise and ballistic missile strikes targeting the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, raising the level of their offensive day after day.

Russia has not mentioned the North Korean military's participation in the war, even though the special military operation in Ukraine is underway quickly and in a surprise move.

This is YTN Jeong Yu-shin.