100 North Koreans Killed, 1,000 Wounded in Russia’s Kursk Region, South Korean Intelligence Reveals

At least 100 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia have been killed, with another 1,000 injured during battles against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region, Reuters reported, citing South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun on December 19.

The losses are attributed to the North Korean troops' lack of experience in drone warfare and their unfamiliarity with the open terrain, according to Lee, who spoke after a closed-door briefing by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).

“There was a report that there have been at least 100 deaths, and the count of injured is approaching 1,000,” Lee said.

The NIS reportedly took a conservative approach to its casualty estimates, which differ from a US military official’s figure citing several hundred casualties.

Lee also noted that intelligence indicates North Korea is preparing for additional troop deployments, with leader Kim Jong Un personally overseeing training sessions.

The report aligns with earlier assessments from US and Ukrainian officials, who have highlighted significant North Korean losses in the war. It also confirms that Russia is utilizing North Korean forces extensively in its operations in Kursk, a region where Ukraine launched a cross-border incursion in August.

More than 10,000 North Korean soldiers have reportedly been deployed to assist Russia in the war, according to US and South Korean officials. Pyongyang has also supplied over 10,000 containers of artillery shells, anti-tank rockets, mechanized howitzers, and rocket launchers to Moscow.

Earlier, the United States acknowledged the possibility of North Korea sending additional troops to support Russia but has not observed any such transfers so far.