Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting for Russia against Ukraine, according to South Korean lawmakers citing information from the country’s intelligence agency. The total number of North Korean troops deployed to fight alongside Russia is reported to be 15,000.
The lawmakers disclosed that, in addition to the deaths, approximately 4,700 North Korean troops have been either killed or injured during their involvement in the conflict. Despite these losses, the intelligence report indicates that North Korea’s military has shown signs of improved combat performance, particularly after six months of fighting, with advancements in using modern warfare technology such as drones.
In exchange for providing troops and weapons to Russia, North Korea appears to have received technical support, including spy satellite technology, drones, and anti-aircraft missiles, according to the South Korean intelligence assessments.
“After six months of participation in the war, the North Korean military has become less inept, and its combat capability has significantly improved as it becomes accustomed to using new weapons such as drones,” said Lee Seong-kweun, a member of the South Korean parliamentary intelligence committee, following a briefing by the National Intelligence Service.
This week, Pyongyang confirmed for the first time that it had deployed troops to assist Russia in the war, a decision reportedly made under the direct orders of leader Kim Jong Un. The North Korean forces have played a pivotal role in reclaiming Russian territory that was previously occupied by Ukrainian forces, notably in the western Kursk region.
In a particularly grim revelation, Lee added that the bodies of fallen North Korean soldiers were reportedly cremated in Kursk before being returned to North Korea. Beyond military support, North Korea is also believed to have sent around 15,000 workers to Russia, generating hard currency income for the regime. However, U.N. sanctions prohibit the use of North Korean labor in third-party countries.
The growing military and economic collaboration between North Korea and Russia highlights their increasingly close ties, as both nations remain politically and economically isolated on the global stage.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited an art studio to oversee sculptures for a memorial dedicated to North Korean soldiers killed while fighting overseas, state media said, amid growing scrutiny of Pyongyang’s military role in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has called on South Korea to thoroughly investigate recent drone incidents and provide a detailed explanation, according to a statement released by state media KCNA on Sunday.
North Korea has accused South Korea of flying a surveillance drone into its airspace earlier this month, an allegation Pyongyang says violates its sovereignty and comes just ahead of a major ruling party congress expected to shape policy for the next five years.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday (7 January), that significant progress has been made in restoring trust with China. He also reiterated that relations with Japan are equally important for Seoul’s diplomacy amid shifting regional dynamics.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has begun negotiations with European leaders over Greenland and that an agreement is already taking shape.
Dmitry Medvedev, said European countries have failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine and have instead inflicted serious economic damage on themselves, as he criticised EU policy, praised Donald Trump as a leader who seeks peace, and said Russia would “soon” achieve military victory in the war.
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India has not made any statement on halting purchases of Russian oil despite claims by US President Donald Trump that such a step was part of a new trade accord with Washington, the Kremlin said on Tuesday (3 February).
Russia says it is prepared for a new reality in which there are no U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control limits once the New START treaty expires this week, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
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