U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated on Wednesday that there is evidence indicating the presence of North Korean troops in Russia, although their specific activities remain uncertain.

“There is evidence of DPRK troops in Russia,” Austin informed reporters in Rome, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“What they are doing is still unclear. These are matters we need to investigate,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has referenced intelligence suggesting that two units, potentially comprising up to 12,000 North Korean soldiers, are being prepared to engage in the conflict alongside Russian forces.

Earlier, South Korean lawmakers who received updates from the national intelligence agency on Wednesday said that  North Korea has dispatched 3,000 troops to Russia to assist in its conflict with Ukraine. This figure is double the previously reported estimate. Lawmakers indicated that Pyongyang had committed to sending approximately 10,000 troops, with their deployment anticipated to be finalized by December.

This information follows a report from Seoul’s National Intelligence Service, which stated last Friday that North Korea had already sent around 1,500 special forces to Russia via maritime routes.

Park Sun-won, a member of the parliamentary intelligence committee, noted after the briefing that “indications of troop training within North Korea were observed in September and October.” He added that these troops now appear to be distributed across various training sites in Russia, where they are acclimating to the local conditions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has also accused North Korea of preparing to send 10,000 soldiers to Russia, urging allies on Tuesday to take action in light of the evidence of North Korean participation in the conflict.

Both Moscow and Pyongyang have refuted allegations of arms transfers while committing to enhance military cooperation, having signed a mutual defense agreement during a summit in June. The Kremlin has labeled South Korea’s assertion regarding the North’s troop deployment as “fake news.”

On Monday, a senior U.S. diplomat indicated that Washington is in discussions with its allies regarding the potential implications of North Korea’s involvement, emphasizing that such a scenario would be a “dangerous and highly concerning development” if verified.

While Pyongyang has not officially addressed the accusations from Seoul and Kyiv, there have been efforts by local authorities to suppress information about the troop dispatch, according to Lee Seong-kweun, a member of the committee. He noted, “There were reports that the families of the chosen soldiers were so distraught that their faces were severely affected,” referencing information from the intelligence agency. “Additionally, there are indications that North Korean authorities are relocating and isolating these families to maintain control and effectively curb the spread of rumors.”

Lee also indicated that the agency has verified that Russia has enlisted a significant number of interpreters for North Korean soldiers and is providing training on military equipment, including drones. The lawmaker noted that Russian instructors have observed that while the North Korean military possesses strong physical capabilities and high morale, they lack knowledge of contemporary warfare tactics, particularly regarding drone operations.

As a result, he cautioned that there could be substantial casualties if these forces are sent to the front lines. Park suggested that North Korea might be looking to secure Russian intervention in the event of a crisis on the Korean peninsula, as well as to obtain economic support.

On Tuesday, the South Korean presidential office called for the immediate withdrawal of North Korean troops from Russia, warning that it might contemplate supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine if military cooperation between the two nations escalates significantly.