North Korea Suffers 4,700 Casualties Fighting for Russia in Ukraine, Says South Korea’s Spy Agency

In a striking development in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has reported that approximately 4,700 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. This revelation, disclosed during a closed-door parliamentary briefing on April 30, 2025, marks a significant escalation in North Korea’s involvement in a war far from its borders. The casualties, which include an estimated 600 deaths, underscore the heavy toll borne by North Korean troops deployed to support Russia’s military efforts, particularly in the Kursk region. This article explores the context, implications, and broader geopolitical ramifications of North Korea’s participation in the conflict, as well as the challenges faced by its soldiers on the battlefield.

Background: North Korea’s Deployment to Ukraine

North Korea’s military involvement in Ukraine began to surface in late 2024, with reports from U.S., South Korean, and Ukrainian officials indicating that Pyongyang had dispatched between 10,000 and 12,000 troops to Russia starting in the fall of 2024. These deployments were reportedly aimed at bolstering Russian forces in their efforts to reclaim territory in the Kursk region, which had been partially seized by Ukrainian forces during a surprise incursion in August 2024. The NIS later confirmed that an additional 3,000 North Korean troops were sent to Russia earlier in 2025, bringing the total number closer to 15,000, alongside 15,000 laborers deployed under industrial cooperation programs.

The deployment of North Korean troops was formally acknowledged by Pyongyang on April 28, 2025, when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced that his country had sent combat troops to “annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and liberate the Kursk area” in cooperation with Russian forces. This statement followed months of denials from both Moscow and Pyongyang regarding the presence of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine. The move was justified under a 2024 mutual defense pact signed between Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which obligates both nations to provide military assistance in the event of an attack.

The Scale of Casualties

According to the NIS, North Korea has suffered 4,700 casualties in Ukraine, with approximately 600 soldiers killed and 4,100 wounded. Of the injured, around 2,000 were repatriated to North Korea by air or train between January and March 2025. The bodies of deceased soldiers were reportedly cremated in Russia before their remains were returned to North Korea. These figures represent a significant increase from earlier estimates. In January 2025, the NIS reported 300 deaths and 2,700 injuries, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed around 4,000 North Korean casualties by March 2025.

The high casualty rate has been attributed to several factors, including the North Korean troops’ lack of preparation for modern warfare, unfamiliarity with the battlefield environment, and their deployment in high-risk frontal assaults. South Korean intelligence and military analysts have noted that North Korean soldiers, many from elite units like the Storm Corps, are particularly vulnerable to Ukrainian drone attacks due to their limited training in countering such technology. Additionally, communication barriers and poor integration with Russian forces have exacerbated their challenges, as North Korean troops operate under Russian command with limited interoperability.

Challenges Faced by North Korean Troops

North Korean soldiers have faced significant obstacles in Ukraine, contributing to their high casualty rates. South Korean intelligence has highlighted their “poor understanding of modern warfare tactics” and their use as “expendable frontline assault units” by Russian commanders. The troops, often deployed in open fields with little cover, have been subjected to intense Ukrainian drone and artillery strikes. Reports indicate that Russian forces have employed “meat-grinder” tactics, involving massed infantry assaults with minimal support, leading to heavy losses.

Language barriers and unfamiliar tactics have further compounded the difficulties. North Korean soldiers, primarily from special forces units trained for rear-area operations rather than frontal combat, struggle to adapt to the fluid and technology-driven nature of the Ukrainian battlefield. Ukrainian forces, equipped with advanced drones and combined arms tactics, have exploited these weaknesses, inflicting significant damage on North Korean units.

Moreover, North Korean soldiers have been issued fake Russian IDs, and there have been reports of Russian forces burning the faces of slain North Korean troops to conceal their identities, suggesting an effort to obscure their involvement. South Korean intelligence also revealed that North Korean soldiers were ordered to commit suicide rather than be captured, with memos found on deceased soldiers indicating instructions to detonate explosives to avoid capture.

Geopolitical Implications

North Korea’s participation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has far-reaching implications for global security and the Korean Peninsula. The deployment of North Korean troops marks the first time since the Korean War (1950–1953) that Pyongyang has engaged in large-scale combat operations abroad, signaling a deepening military alliance with Russia. This partnership, formalized through the 2024 defense pact, has raised concerns in the U.S., South Korea, and Japan about the potential transfer of advanced Russian military technology to North Korea, including air defense missiles, electronic warfare equipment, drones, and spy satellite technology.

In exchange for its military support, North Korea has reportedly supplied Russia with significant quantities of weapons, including short-range ballistic missiles, 170mm self-propelled howitzers, and 240mm multiple rocket launchers, valued at billions of dollars. However, the NIS has not detected evidence of cash remittances from Russia to North Korea, suggesting that Pyongyang may be receiving technological or material compensation instead.

For South Korea, North Korea’s involvement in Ukraine poses a direct security threat. The combat experience gained by North Korean troops could enhance Pyongyang’s military capabilities, potentially increasing the risk of aggression on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea has responded by deepening security cooperation with Ukraine and considering the possibility of supplying weapons to Kyiv, a significant departure from its policy of avoiding arms transfers to countries in active conflict.

The U.S. and its allies have condemned North Korea’s actions, with the White House describing the troops as “expendable” and accusing Russian and North Korean leaders of ordering “hopeless assaults” against Ukrainian defenses. The deployment has also heightened tensions with China, which has maintained a cautious stance on the growing Russia-North Korea alliance.

Humanitarian and Ethical Concerns

The treatment of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine has raised significant humanitarian concerns. Reports suggest that the troops are poorly equipped, inadequately trained, and subjected to brutal conditions. North Korean defectors have claimed that soldiers are sent to Ukraine with minimal preparation, lacking the skills to counter modern threats like drones. The high casualty rates and reports of orders to commit suicide rather than be captured highlight the expendable nature of these troops in the eyes of both North Korean and Russian leadership.

Furthermore, the capture of North Korean soldiers by Ukrainian forces has revealed the harsh realities faced by these troops. Two soldiers captured in January 2025, reportedly from the Reconnaissance General Bureau, expressed reluctance to return to North Korea, fearing severe punishment for their families, including execution or internment in political prison camps. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has offered to exchange captured North Korean soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia, but the Kremlin has not publicly responded to the proposal.

Conclusion

The reported 4,700 casualties suffered by North Korean troops in Ukraine represent a tragic and costly chapter in Pyongyang’s deepening military alignment with Russia. The high losses, driven by inadequate training, unfamiliar tactics, and brutal battlefield conditions, underscore the challenges faced by North Korean soldiers in a modern conflict far from home. As North Korea continues to supply troops and weapons to Russia, the geopolitical ramifications of this partnership are becoming increasingly significant, raising concerns about regional stability and the potential for advanced technology transfers to Pyongyang.

For the international community, North Korea’s involvement in Ukraine serves as a stark reminder of the global nature of the conflict and the complex alliances shaping its trajectory. As South Korea, the U.S., and their allies grapple with the implications, the human cost of North Korea’s participation—borne by soldiers treated as expendable—demands greater scrutiny and calls for diplomatic efforts to address the broader consequences of this unprecedented deployment.

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