About 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed fighting in Russia’s war in Ukraine, South Korean lawmakers have said, citing intelligence officials.
Lee Seong-kweun and Kim Byung-kee told reporters after a National Intelligence Service (NIS) briefing on Wednesday that an estimated 4,700 North Koreans had been killed or injured in the war thus far.
Lee and Kim, co-chairs of the legislature’s intelligence committee, shared their insights just two days after Pyongyang publicly acknowledged sending troops to Russia to bolster its military efforts.
As reported by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated he had ordered the troops' deployment to “obliterate and remove the Ukrainian neo-Nazi forces and free the Kursk region in collaboration with the Russian military.”
The newest casualty figures indicate a drastic increase compared to a briefing the National Intelligence Service (NIS) provided to lawmakers in January, where it was reported that around 300 North Korean troops had lost their lives in the ongoing conflict.
During their press conference, Lee and Kim, who represent the conservative People Power Party and liberal Democratic Party, respectively, mentioned that the NIS estimates that Pyongyang has dispatched approximately 15,000 soldiers in total.
The lawmakers further noted that North Korea seems to have gained technical support for reconnaissance satellites in exchange for its military aid, also receiving drones, electronic warfare systems, and SA-22 surface-to-air missiles.
“After six months of engagement in the conflict, North Korea’s military has shown noticeable improvement in its combat efficiency, becoming more adept in utilizing new weaponry like drones,” Lee informed reporters.
