US President Donald Trump said he plans to reach out to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as North Korea prepares to send additional troops to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
“I’ll reach out to him again,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Thursday, calling Kim Jong Un “a smart guy.”
The planned outreach comes at a crucial moment, as North Korea deepens its military involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), North Korea is accelerating preparations for additional troop deployments to Russia following significant casualties among its current forces. A senior US defense official, cited by The New York Times, indicates that North Korean reinforcements are expected “within the next two months.”
The casualty rate among North Korean forces has been substantial. About one-third of the approximately 12,000 North Korean troops deployed to Russia’s Kursk Oblast have been killed or wounded since their combat engagement began in early December. Ukrainian forces report that North Korean units employ distinctive tactics, including wave attacks of 40 or more troops advancing without armored support.
North Korea’s military support for Russia has been extensive, including the supply of millions of artillery shells that now account for about half of Russia’s daily munitions usage, along with more than 100 short-range ballistic missiles.
The timing of Trump’s planned outreach raises questions about whether the discussion could include North Korea’s involvement in the Ukraine war. However, the US President’s initiative has already faced some resistance within his administration. Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio took a harder line on North Korea during his Senate confirmation hearing, describing Kim as a “dictator” and calling for a “very serious look at broader North Korean policies.”
Read more:
- North Korean reinforcements expected in two months in Russia, NYT reports
- Zelenskyy says 4,000 North Korean troops killed in Kursk Oblast out of 12,000 deployed
- Ukraine forces collect DNA samples from North Korean casualties in Kursk region
- North Korean soldier reportedly attempts suicide while surrendering to Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast
- Frontline report: North Koreans face catastrophic losses near Kruglenkoe as Ukrainians reclaim positions
- ISW: All 12,000 North Korean troops in Kursk may be lost by April 2025
