According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), about two thousand North Korean troops deployed to support Russia have died in the war against Ukraine. Such data were disclosed at a closed briefing for the parliamentary intelligence committee, Yonhap reports.
According to sources, North Korea said it had suffered about 350 casualties during the first and second stages of deployment, while the NIS cited a minimum of 600 deaths during the April briefing. According to deputy Lee Sung-kwon, the NIS raised the overall estimate to two thousand after a “comprehensive analysis” with other countries.
According to intelligence, North Korea also plans to provide Russia with about 6,000 more soldiers as part of the third deployment tranche. About a thousand engineers have already arrived in Russia. The available forces are stationed in the rear as reserves.
The agency also notes that since October of the previous year, North Korea has sent about 13,000 service members and conventional weapons to support Russia’s military efforts.
What is known about North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine
In October 2024, South Korea’s intelligence reported that North Korea has already sent 1,500 of its special forces to Russia and plans to recruit 12,000 troops to join the war. North Korea rejected these accusations, calling them “baseless rumors.”
“North Korea rejected these accusations, calling them baseless rumors.”
– Official statements of South Korea
On 14 October 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that North Korea had effectively joined the war against Ukraine. On 17 October 2024, the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense (GUR) Budanov confirmed that about 11,000 soldiers from North Korea are preparing to fight in Ukraine. On 5 November 2024, Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov confirmed that there were “first clashes” between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia. On 14 December 2024, Zelensky said that there are preliminary data about Russia using soldiers from North Korea in assault operations in the Kursk region, and among them there are already losses. On 11 January 2025, the Ukrainian Armed Forces captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region. Zelensky ordered the SBU to grant access to the prisoners. In South Korea, they said they were ready to retrieve the captured soldiers, as they effectively recognize all North Koreans as their citizens.
As of mid-January 2025, about a thousand North Korean service members had died in the Kursk region of Russia. On 28 April 2025, North Korea officially acknowledged the involvement of its troops in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Vadym Skibitsky, in an interview said that as of August 2025 there are about 11,000 North Korean troops in Russia.
“North Korea rejected these accusations, calling them baseless rumors.”
– Official statements of South Korea
“On October 14, 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that North Korea had effectively joined the war against Ukraine.”
– President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky