US, Japan and South Korea express grave concern over troop deployment

National security advisers for the US, South Korea and Japan expressed "grave concern" on Oct 25 over the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia for possible use against Ukraine, the White House said.

The trio see the North Korean troop presence as the latest sign of growing Moscow-Pyongyang military ties, and they called on Russia and North Korea to cease arms and missile transfers, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

The transfers violate UN Security Council resolutions, he said.

Mr Kirby briefed reporters after US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan held talks in Washington with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, Mr Shin Won-sik and Mr Takeo Akiba, respectively.