North Korea lashed out at U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for calling it a “rogue” state and warned Monday that such “coarse and nonsensical remarks” will never contribute to U.S.

North Korean troops fighting for Russia have been pulled from the front line for extra training after crude tactics led to massive casualties.

Around 4,000 of the 11,000-men contingent North Korea sent to Russia last year are thought to have died already, with more losses expected.

North Korean troops not seen for 3 weeks in parts of Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's Special Forces say Ukraine deploys long-range drone capable of 2,000 km strike, military says Ukrainian drones strike "one of 10 largest oil refineries in Russia,

The spokesman did not say how long that front line was. And while this is not the full picture, it does suggest significant North Korean casualties. Separately, the New York Times also reported that the North Koreans had been pulled off the front lines.

North Korea sent its best troops to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine. But after months of suffering severe losses, they have been taken off the front line.

It is time to examine not only the effects and effectiveness of North Korean troops in combat, but the wider implications for international security and conflict management.