North Korea is learning combat lessons fighting Ukraine, a US official said. It means the authoritarian state is more of a threat to its neighbors. North Korea has dispatched around 12,000 troops to fight for Russia.

The United States warned on Wednesday that North Korea is benefiting from its troops fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine, gaining experience that makes Pyongyang "more capable of waging war against its neighbors.

North Korea is “significantly benefiting” from its troops gaining battlefield experience fighting alongside Russian forces as it makes them more capable of waging war against rivals South Korea and Japan,