North Korean troops deployed to support Russia in its conflict with Ukraine have not been observed in combat for several weeks, leading to speculation about their withdrawal following significant losses, as reported by South Korea’s intelligence agency. The National Intelligence Service in Seoul confirmed this week that North Korean forces were removed from the front lines around mid-January.
North Korea began sending approximately 11,000 troops to the Russian Kursk region in late 2024, shortly after a mutual defense agreement was established between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at bolstering their alliance against what they termed US-led “western hegemony.”
The involvement of these troops has come at a considerable cost. South Korean intelligence officials reported that around 300 North Koreans have been killed and about 2,700 wounded. In January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared a video featuring two captured North Korean soldiers, one of whom claimed he was told by his commanders that he was being sent for a “training exercise.”
These North Korean soldiers, who had not previously engaged in combat, were reportedly ill-prepared for the brutal realities of warfare in unfamiliar terrain and were particularly susceptible to Ukrainian drone attacks. Intelligence sources in South Korea indicated that notes found on deceased North Korean soldiers suggested that the regime expected them to commit suicide rather than be captured.
The arrival of North Korean troops raised concerns about a potential escalation in the conflict for Ukraine, with South Korean military officials alleging that Pyongyang was preparing to send additional forces. In exchange for providing personnel, weapons, and ammunition, North Korea seeks access to advanced Russian satellite technology and foreign currency to support its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The South Korean intelligence service noted that the high casualty rate contributed to the decision to withdraw North Korean soldiers from Kursk, especially after Ukrainian forces launched a surprise offensive in August 2024. Seth Jones from the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington estimated that as many as half of the North Korean troops sent to Ukraine may have been killed or injured in Russia’s “war of attrition.”
“The casualty rates were significant,” Jones stated during a podcast, as reported by Yonhap news agency. “By most accounts, we were able to assess that somewhere between a third and possibly up to 50% of the North Korean forces suffered casualties. It’s difficult to ascertain the exact numbers, but estimates suggest as many as 1,000 may have been killed, which represents staggering losses for a force of 11,000 to 12,000.”
While North Korea has not publicly acknowledged its involvement in the war, Putin did not deny the presence of North Korean forces in Russia during an October statement.
