U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell has issued a stark warning about North Korea’s escalating nuclear and missile threats and its growing support for Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, describing the situation as “alarming.” Campbell’s comments came after talks in Seoul with senior diplomats from South Korea and Japan, where the allies discussed a coordinated response to North Korea’s actions, which include military aid to Russia.
North Korea’s recent actions have intensified concerns, with reports indicating that Pyongyang is supplying artillery and missiles to Moscow. Although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed North Korea may be sending personnel to aid Russia, Campbell said Washington is still evaluating these reports. The U.S. and its allies have responded by planning a multinational team to monitor North Korea’s compliance with international sanctions, which had been weakened after Russia’s veto of a U.N. resolution in March effectively removed expert oversight of sanctions on Pyongyang.
Tensions have also escalated on the Korean Peninsula, with North Korea recently demolishing unused infrastructure once connecting it to South Korea, signaling rising hostility. Additionally, North Korea has accused Seoul of using drones to disseminate anti-regime materials over its capital and has warned of retaliation.
In response, the U.S., South Korea, and Japan have bolstered military drills and reinforced nuclear deterrence measures. South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun reaffirmed the allies’ commitment to a robust defensive stance, condemning North Korea’s “intentional moves to create tensions.”
