South Korea's intelligence agency reports that Russia has withdrawn North Korean troops from the frontline in Ukraine after they suffered heavy casualties. The troops, who were deployed to the Kursk region in late 2022, reportedly faced significant losses against Ukrainian forces.
Ukraine has released a screengrab that purports to show North Korea n soldiers receiving supplies at a Russia n training base. This comes as South Korea 's intelligence agency confirms that Russia has likely withdrawn North Korea n troops from the frontline after suffering heavy losses. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) in Seoul this week confirmed media reports that North Korea n troops had been pulled from the frontline around mid-January.
It is believed that North Korea sent approximately 11,000 troops to the Russian Kursk region in late 2022, shortly after Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin met. The involvement of North Korean troops in the war has reportedly come at a high cost. According to South Korean intelligence officials, around 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed and approximately 2,700 wounded. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated that North Korean soldiers were ill-prepared for the realities of combat, particularly the use of Ukrainian drones. Intelligence officials in South Korea claimed that notes found on deceased North Korean soldiers indicated that the regime expected them to die rather than be captured. The deployment of North Korean troops sparked concerns that the war could escalate dangerously for Ukraine. There were claims from South Korean military officials that the Pyongyang regime intended to use them as cannon fodder. In return for personnel, weapons, and ammunition, North Korea is seeking access to advanced Russian satellite technology and foreign currency to support its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The NIS stated that the significant number of casualties was a factor in the decision to withdraw North Korean soldiers from Kursk, where Ukrainian forces launched a surprise offensive in August 2023. Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington estimated this week that up to half of the North Korean troops sent to Russia had been killed or wounded. North Korea has not officially acknowledged its role in the war, although Putin did not deny the presence of North Korean forces in Russia during an October 2023 address. North Korean vice-foreign minister Kim Jong-gyu stated that any deployment would be in accordance with international law.
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