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Around 600 North Korean Troops Killed While Fighting for Russia, Seoul Says

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Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
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Around 600 North Korean Troops Killed While Fighting for Russia, Seoul Says
Korean People’s Army soldiers participate in a commemorative march in the plaza of the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang on April 25, 2025, to mark the 93rd anniversary of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army. (Source: Getty Images)

Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting alongside Russian forces in the Russian Kursk region, according to South Korean intelligence officials, cited by Reuters on April 30.

In total, roughly 15,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to support Russia’s invasion, with about 4,700 casualties reported, including both dead and wounded.

The deployments have reportedly centered around the western Kursk region, where North Korean forces played a key role in assisting Russia to regain territory previously retaken by Ukraine.

This week, North Korea officially confirmed for the first time that it had dispatched troops to Ukraine under direct orders from leader Kim Jong Un. Pyongyang also acknowledged providing weapons and manpower in support of Russia’s war effort.

“In return for sending troops and supplying arms, Pyongyang has received technical assistance on spy satellites, drones, and anti-aircraft missiles,” South Korean lawmakers said following a briefing from the country’s National Intelligence Service.

According to lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun, North Korean troops have shown signs of growing battlefield proficiency after six months of combat exposure.

“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,” he told reporters.

South Korea also believes North Korea has sent approximately 15,000 civilian workers to Russia, despite ongoing UN sanctions banning the export of North Korean labor. Overseas labor is a critical source of hard currency for the Kim regime.

Lee added that the bodies of deceased North Korean soldiers were cremated in Russia’s Kursk region before being returned to North Korea—a move likely aimed at minimizing the visibility of military casualties back home.

Earlier, the Kremlin confirmed that Russia was prepared to provide military assistance to North Korea under the terms of its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

“Without a doubt. We have a treaty in place, and under this treaty, the parties are obliged to provide immediate assistance to each other if necessary,” Peskov said.

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