Russia in talks to send fighter jets to North Korea, INDOPACOM says

SIMI VALLEY, California—Russia may send North Korea “formidable, but…early fourth-generation” fighter jets, the leader of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Saturday.

“We've seen some agreement” between Moscow and Pyongyang on the transfer of Russian MiG-29s and Su-27s, Adm. Samuel Paparo said at the Reagan National Defense Forum here. He did not say how many jets might be transferred.

The move follows Pyongyang’s dispatch of what Paparo said were 12,000 North Korean troops to Russia to fight Ukrainian forces. 

Paparo spoke at a time of crisis for South Korea, where President Yoon Suk Yeol  survived an impeachment vote for his brief declaration of martial law this week, which some are calling a failed coup. 

“The National Assembly has drawn up articles of impeachment, which require a two-thirds majority in order to pass. That remains to be seen,” the U.S. commander said. 

Yoon issued an apology on Saturday, four days after rescinding his martial-law declaration and two after firing his defense minister Kim Yong Hyun. 

Paparo said there was little chance that the drama would affect regional security. 

“There is a little bit of political uncertainty in Korea. I'm convinced that, from a security standpoint, there is stability,” he said.

The discussion turned to whether the incoming Trump administration would come to the self-governing island’s defense if China invades. Donald Trump dodged the question on the campaign trail, but said in July: “Taiwan should pay us for defense...You know, we’re no different than an insurance company.”

Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., who leads the defense panel of the House Appropriations Committee, said he didn’t want to speculate how the next administration would approach Taiwan policy, but judged it unlikely that U.S. policy would shift dramatically. 

Paparo, asked about the possibility of a shift, replied that open-source information indicates that a conflict in the Western Pacific would be devastating for the U.S. economy, and therefore the United States should strengthen its deterrence in the region.

Calvert said this was one reason why Congress must focus on INDOPACOM’s $11 billion unfunded priorities list and pass military budgets on time.

But the question remains open how best to deter China from invading Taiwan, which officials have said is possible before 2027. Paparo declined to endorse a proposal to put Marines or other U.S. forces on Taiwan, a policy shift he said would be "provocative." 

“The real key to success is for the enablement of Taiwan to be more effective,” he said.