Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder speaks during a news conference in the briefing room of the Pentagon in Washington, Arlington, Virginia, May 14. AP-Yonhap

A Pentagon spokesperson on Tuesday floated the possibility of North Korean troops becoming "cannon fodder" should they be sent to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder made the remarks as a deepening military alignment between Pyongyang and Moscow has given rise to speculation that Russia could potentially ask the North to commit its troops to help its war effort in Ukraine.

"If I were North Korean military personnel management, I would be questioning my choices on sending my forces to be cannon fodder in an illegal war against Ukraine," Ryder told a press briefing. "And we've seen the kinds of casualties ... but again, something that we'll keep an eye on."

He also commented on the growing talk of the need for South Korea to consider a nuclear option in the midst of burgeoning military cooperation between Russia and the North.

"Our policy hasn't changed as it relates to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," he said.

"We will continue to work closely with our ROK and Japanese allies and others in the region to ensure security and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific," he added, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that entailed a clause calling for one side to provide military assistance "without delay" in the event of an armed invasion — a pledge that amounted to a revival of their Cold-War era military alliance. (Yonhap)