By Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0
Seoul – South Korea’s intelligence agency has revealed that an estimated 4,700 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded while fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine, in what marks a significant escalation of Pyongyang’s involvement in the ongoing conflict.
The assessment, shared during a closed-door parliamentary committee briefing on Wednesday, follows North Korea’s confirmation earlier this week that it had deployed combat troops to assist Russia in retaking control of the contested Kursk region, lost during a Ukrainian offensive last year.
According to lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun, who attended the briefing, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) said the casualty figure includes approximately 600 North Korean troops killed in action. Around 2,000 wounded soldiers were reportedly repatriated to North Korea by air and train between January and March. The NIS also reported that the bodies of deceased North Korean troops were cremated in Russia before being returned home.
The latest figures reflect a significant increase in estimated casualties from earlier this year. In January, the NIS reported around 300 deaths and 2,700 injuries among North Korean forces. South Korea’s military later raised that estimate to 4,000 in March, with the NIS now placing it closer to 4,700.
On Monday, North Korean state media announced that leader Kim Jong Un had formally dispatched troops to support Russia’s military operations, claiming the goal was to eliminate “Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers” and liberate the Kursk region in coordination with Russian forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin later issued a statement thanking North Korea for its military support and vowing not to forget the sacrifices made by its troops. Both leaders emphasized that the deployment was conducted under the framework of a 2024 defense pact between the two countries, which obligates mutual assistance in the event of external threats.
The U.S., South Korea, and Ukraine have long accused North Korea of supplying large quantities of conventional arms to Russia to replenish its battlefield supplies. In exchange, they allege Russia has been providing North Korea with military technology and economic support.
Officials estimate that between 10,000 and 12,000 North Korean troops were sent to Russia in late 2024. South Korea’s military reported that a further 3,000 troops were deployed earlier this year.
During the Wednesday briefing, the NIS said it believes Russia has transferred advanced military equipment to North Korea, including air defense missiles, electronic warfare systems, drones, and satellite launch technologies. Lawmaker Kim Byung-kee, who also attended the session, noted that the NIS reported some 15,000 North Korean laborers have been dispatched to Russia as part of industrial cooperation efforts.
While North Korea has reportedly sent missiles and artillery to Russia valued at billions of dollars, the NIS stated it has not yet observed any direct cash payments from Moscow to Pyongyang in return.
