Kim Jong-un with North Korean soldiers during an inspection of a training base in North Korea Photo: STR / AFP
According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, DPRK troops participating in the fighting on Russia’s side in Ukraine have suffered more than 4,700 casualties, including more than 600 killed. The total number of North Korean troops in Russia is estimated at 15,000, who were deployed in two stages: about 12,000 last year and another 3,000 earlier this year, Reuters reports.
South Korean intelligence has also reported a significant decrease in the intensity of hostilities on the Kursk section of the front since April, after Moscow regained control over most of its frontline Kursk region. So far, there are no signs of a new deployment of DPRK troops on the Russian-Ukrainian front, but such a possibility cannot be ruled out.
In response to the DPRK’s participation in the war, Russia provided Pyongyang with assistance in the form of a launch pad for launching a spy satellite, drones, electronic warfare equipment, and SA-22 surface-to-air missiles. In addition, negotiations are underway to modernise North Korean industry in 14 sectors, including aviation, energy and tourism, and to send about 15,000 North Korean workers to Russia.
