U.S. President Joe Biden has voiced his concern regarding reports of North Korean troops stationed in Kursk, Russia, close to the Ukrainian border. The stationing of North Korean forces so near to the conflict in Ukraine has sparked international concern, intensifying an already tense global security situation. While relations between Russia and North Korea have strengthened in recent months, the direct military involvement of North Korean forces so close to Ukrainian territory adds an unpredictable element to the ongoing conflict.