Over 1,000 North Korean Soldiers Killed or Wounded in Russia-Ukraine War, South Korea Reports

More than 1,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded while fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to a statement from South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Monday.

The figure follows a report from Seoul’s intelligence agency, which informed parliamentarians last week that at least 100 North Korean soldiers had died after entering combat in December 2023.

North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to support Russian forces in the ongoing conflict, with many deployed in regions such as Kursk, where Ukrainian troops have recently gained ground. The JCS statement indicates that North Korean forces recently engaged in combat with Ukrainian units and have suffered around 1,100 casualties.

“Through various intelligence sources, we assess that approximately 1,100 North Korean troops have been injured or killed in recent combat,” the JCS said.

Reports from Seoul, Washington, and Kyiv suggest there are currently about 12,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia. The JCS also indicated that Pyongyang may be preparing for the rotation or additional deployment of troops to reinforce its position.

In addition to the human casualties, intelligence sources also suggest that North Korea is playing a significant role in supporting Russia’s military efforts by supplying self-destructible drones. North Korea has already been accused of providing missiles and artillery shells to Russia to help fuel the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The alliance between North Korea and Russia has deepened since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A major defense pact between the two countries, signed in June, officially took effect earlier this month. Experts believe North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is eager to gain advanced military technology from Russia and valuable battle experience for his own forces.

Last week, Pyongyang condemned a joint statement from the United States and its allies, which criticized North Korea’s involvement in the Ukraine war, including the deployment of soldiers. The North described the criticism as “reckless provocation.”

South Korea and Ukraine have also agreed to increase their security cooperation in response to the North Korean military presence in Russia, though there has been no mention of possible arms shipments from South Korea to Ukraine.

In November, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol suggested that Seoul was “not ruling out the possibility” of providing weapons to Ukraine, signaling a potential shift in South Korea’s long-standing policy of not supplying arms to countries in active conflict.