official.Although U.S. officials have not confirmed South Korean reports that North Korean soldiers will engage in direct combat, they estimate the North Korean force could number in the thousands and may rapidly be assigned to combat roles, the Wall Street Journal reports. The U.S. official’s remarks followed National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby’s statement earlier on Oct. 25, where he noted that some North Korean troops stationed at multiple training sites in eastern Russia will likely be deployed to Kursk, though the specific purpose remains unclear."...At least some of these North Korean troops could be deployed to the Kursk area," Kirby said. "But in what capacity, for what purpose, that still remains unclear." This marks the first public acknowledgment by the U.S.