South Korea’s intelligence agency reports that casualties among North Koreans aiding Russia have exceeded 3,000.
Around 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to a South Korean legislator. Additionally, approximately 2,700 others have been injured, Lee Seong-kweun reported on Monday after receiving a briefing from Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).
The deployment of North Korean troops to Russia is said to have expanded to include the Kursk region, with casualty estimates among North Korean forces now surpassing 3,000, Lee added. The NIS also noted that North Korean soldiers have a limited understanding of modern warfare, which has contributed to the high number of casualties.
This information comes just days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the capture of two North Korean soldiers, releasing a video of the injured captives being interrogated. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine was “ready to hand over” the soldiers in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia. However, the Kremlin has declined to comment on the matter, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying they are not aware of the situation and emphasizing the difficulty of prisoner exchanges.
South Korea has previously claimed that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent over 10,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russia in exchange for Russian support for Pyongyang’s weapons and satellite programs, which are under heavy international sanctions. Russia has neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Korean troops.
Regarding the captured soldiers, the NIS reported that they have not expressed any desire to defect or resettle in South Korea, according to lawmakers who attended the briefing. The agency indicated that it would consider discussions with Ukrainian authorities if the soldiers later request asylum in South Korea.
Approximately 34,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea in recent decades to escape economic hardships and political repression. South Korea’s Ministry of Unification said that any potential asylum process for the captured soldiers would require legal reviews and consultations with relevant countries.
In addition, the NIS shared that the captured soldiers, reportedly part of North Korea’s elite Storm Corps, had been ordered to commit suicide if they were about to be captured. Lee said that some soldiers had been given “amnesty” or were motivated by the hope of advancing their status within the North Korean Workers’ Party. He also revealed that one soldier, on the brink of capture, shouted “General Kim Jong Un” and attempted to detonate a grenade, but was shot and killed before he could do so.
