North Korean troops bolster Russia's frontlines in Ukraine conflict
North Korea has sent additional troops to Russia as part of its continuous support of Moscow's aggression against Ukraine, Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday, citing the National Intelligence Service (NIS) in Seoul. NIS notes that Pyongyang's troops are once again active on the Kursk front.
"It seems that additional troops have been sent, but the exact number is being determined," NIS reported.
Yonhap agency, citing anonymous military officials, reported that "over a thousand soldiers" were sent to Russia at the end of January and February.
Their current deployment is unknown because the military cannot monitor their movements after leaving the port of Chongjin and the Najin region in the northeastern part of North Korea. According to the cited sources, there is also no certainty whether they will be directed to the front.
NIS also confirmed that "after about a one-month break, North Korean forces re-engaged from the first week of February on the Kursk front."
According to the authorities in Seoul, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent over 10,000 soldiers in 2024 as "cannon fodder" in exchange for Russian technical assistance for Pyongyang's heavily sanctioned weapons and satellite programs. Korean services estimate that about 300 soldiers have died, and 2,700 have been injured. Ukrainian authorities report 4,000 wounded or killed.
No information on transport of bodies
As added by NIS, despite the large number of casualties among North Korean soldiers, there are no reports of bodies being transported to North Korea. "This raises the possibility that the transport of bodies was abandoned due to costs," Yonhap writes.
Ukrainian forces entered the Kursk region on August 6, 2024, at 12:00 PM ET. At that time, it was explained that one of the objectives of this offensive was to force the Russians to redirect some forces from Donbas in eastern Ukraine. Most North Korean soldiers sent to Russia are young recruits around 20 years old who have recently joined the army.
The South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) revealed last year that each North Korean soldier receives a salary of $2,000 per month. The media notes that this amount significantly exceeds the average annual earnings of an average North Korean.
