U.S. government predicts that 8,000 North Korean troops will be training in Kursk and will soon be deployed in combat

The U.S. government predicted that "North Korean troops are stationed in Kursk, Russia, undergoing military operational training and will be deployed to fight against Ukraine within the next few days."
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a press conference at the State Department building in Washington, D.C. on the 31st (local time).
At a joint press conference after the US-ROK Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting (2+2), he said, "According to recent information, 8,000 North Korean troops have departed.
"We moved to the Kursk region in southwestern Russia, an area under fire between Russia and Ukraine," he said.
"Russia is providing artillery, drones and basic infantry to the North Korean military," Blinken said.
"They are undergoing training in military operations, including how to build trenches," he said. "This suggests they will be deployed in frontline operations. Whether North Korean troops are participating in combat is unclear."
"We have not yet been able to accurately grasp the details, but we believe that this will be done within the next few days," he said. "The reason Russia is relying on North Korean military power in this way is because it is in a desperate situation.
"Putin (Russian President Vladimir Putin) is losing a lot of soldiers. 1,200 Russian soldiers are dying every day, and instead, he's bringing in North Korean soldiers.
I'm putting it in," he added.