According to the latest intelligence reports from South Korea, approximately six hundred North Korean military personnel have been killed in connection with their participation in the military campaign against Ukraine, particularly in battles that took place on the Kursk region of Russian territory
This information was disclosed by parliamentary deputy Lee Sun Kwon, based on data from intelligence agencies. Official sources, including Reuters, BBC News, and South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, report that this figure pertains to around 600 casualties out of the total North Korean armed forces, which number about 15,000 personnel. According to Lee Sun Kwon, as of now, intelligence estimates the total North Korean military losses at approximately 4,700 personnel, of whom about six hundred are deceased soldiers. A parliamentary representative noted that since the beginning of this year, in response to the military conflict, around two thousand soldiers have been repatriated to North Korea. These soldiers are currently in a state of isolation in Pyongyang and other regions. Remarkably, information suggests that most of the bodies of fallen soldiers were likely cremated directly within the Kursk region of Russia before their ashes were transported back to North Korea. This indicates a complex and secretive logistical scheme used by North Korea to possibly conceal the scale of losses and to maintain secrecy regarding its military operations abroad. It is also known that North Korea deployed approximately 15,000 military personnel to Russia in two phases. According to intelligence reports, their combat capabilities are showing signs of improvement, which raises concerns in regional security centers. At the same time, South Korean intelligence has not detected any indications of a new mobilization by North Korea but considers it possible that such measures may be implemented in the future, given the current dynamics of the conflict. Overall, this information underscores the high level of North Korean military involvement in the geopolitical processes surrounding Ukraine and Russia, and highlights how closed and complex the current situation with military losses and mobilization remains for Pyongyang. Resolving this situation continues to be difficult and far from resolution, adding new challenges to international diplomatic efforts aimed at stabilizing the region.