Reports indicate that over 100 North Korean soldiers have lost their lives in the ongoing Ukraine conflict since their deployment on the Russian side earlier this month, as stated by a South Korean member of parliament.
According to Lee Sung-kwon, following intelligence briefings in parliament, roughly 1,000 additional soldiers have been injured in the fighting.
He noted that the casualties included several high-ranking officials and attributed the heavy losses to the troops’ unfamiliarity with the battlefield and drone warfare tactics.
Initial reports of North Korean casualties surfaced earlier this week, with earlier sources indicating that North Korea dispatched 10,000 troops to bolster Russia’s military efforts in October.
On Monday, a Pentagon spokesperson confirmed casualties among North Korean forces, though specific numbers were not disclosed. The following day, an unnamed US official mentioned that “several hundred” North Korean soldiers had been killed or injured.
These claims have yet to be independently verified.
The North Korean troops, reportedly without prior combat experience, initially engaged in training and support roles in Russia before being deployed.
Casualties are believed to have occurred in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces are defending territories seized during a surprise attack in August.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned last Saturday that Russia had begun deploying a “significant number” of North Korean soldiers in its operations at Kursk.
These troops have not been reported to be active within Ukraine itself, where Russian forces have made recent advances in the east.
Lee Sung-kwon also mentioned that there are indications of preparations for further troop deployments, possibly supervised by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Intelligence reports suggest that the high casualty rates may be due to North Korean forces being deployed as expendable frontline units in an unfamiliar combat environment with inadequate responses to drone attacks.
“Concerns have arisen within the Russian military regarding the North Korean troops, as their lack of knowledge about drone warfare seems to hinder rather than enhance operational effectiveness,” he added.
While neither Russia nor North Korea has confirmed the troop deployments, a recent North Korean government statement emphasized that its alliance with Moscow serves to counterbalance US and Western influence.
