South Korean intelligence reports that at least 100 North Korean soldiers were killed and another 1,000 wounded in the Russo-Ukrainian War during the Battle of Kursk. The high casualty rate can be attributed to the inexperience of North Korean troops.
South Korean parliamentarian Lee Seong-gwon confirmed the report following a closed parliamentary briefing by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).
The South Korean intelligence figures differ from previous estimates by U.S. officials of a few hundred dead. Lee Seong-gwon said the NIS had conducted a relatively conservative analysis and the figures in the report may underestimate the true casualties.
In recent days, pro-Ukraine accounts have been posting what they say is footage of North Korean troops being targeted by drone strikes and artillery. Some video shows the corpses of dozens of soldiers, allegedly North Koreans.
🇰🇵💀 SOF operators destroy North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region. pic.twitter.com/QnZy2hwh9P
— MAKS 24 🇺🇦👀 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) December 16, 2024The report confirms previous claims by U.S. and Ukrainian officials that Russia has deployed large numbers of North Korean troops in the Kursk offensive. The report says there are indications that North Korea is planning to send more troops.
According to the U.S. and South Korea, more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to fight against Ukraine, with these troops brining significant amounts of artillery ammunition, anti-tank missiles, as well as machine guns and rocket launchers.
The report recalls the June meeting between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, where they signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, which includes a mutual defense pact. The deployment of North Korean troops in the war in Ukraine raises serious concerns about the escalation of the conflict and international security.
The Russian-Ukrainian war is increasingly reminiscent of a world war, as soldiers from several foreign countries are also present on the battlefield.
As our newspaper previously reported at a press conference at the U.S. State Department yesterday, Matthew Miller said that several members of North Korean units had been killed or wounded in the fighting in Ukraine. However, he did not confirm that North Korea had sent additional military units to supplement Russian forces.
The foreign ministry official confirmed the White House’s assessment on Monday that the military forces made available to Russian forces by North Korea were initially given only a support role, but later also active deployment duties.
John Kirby, the White House’s national security communications spokesman, said the United States and its allies will impose new sanctions on North Korea in response to these developments.
