South Korea: Nearly 2,000 North Korean Troops Killed in Ukraine War Fighting for Russia

South Korea’s intelligence agency has revealed that around 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting alongside Russian forces in the ongoing war against Ukraine. The updated estimate reflects a sharp rise from earlier assessments of approximately 600 fatalities.

According to details shared by lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun after a parliamentary briefing, Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed that North Korea has already sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia since last year, many of whom have been deployed to the Kursk region.

The NIS further noted that Pyongyang plans to dispatch an additional 6,000 personnel, including combat engineers, with about 1,000 already en route to Russia.

Earlier this year, South Korean officials reported lower casualty figures, estimating about 4,700 total losses, including the wounded, with nearly 2,000 injured soldiers flown back to North Korea for treatment between January and March.

The new numbers underline the heavy toll on North Korean forces, highlighting Pyongyang’s deepening military involvement in the conflict and its growing strategic partnership with Moscow.