More than 1,000 North Korean troopers have been killed or wounded since they have been despatched to struggle alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, based on South Korean navy officers.
In an announcement launched on Monday, the South’s joint chiefs of employees (JCS) mentioned: “We assess that North Korean troops, who’ve not too long ago engaged in fight with Ukrainian forces, have suffered round 1,100 casualties.”
The JCS didn’t say what number of troops had been killed in motion, however the claims underline the dangers posed to the North’s untested armed forces, amid stories that the regime is poised to ship additional reinforcements to Ukraine.
Last week, South Korea’s spy company claimed that at the very least 100 North Korean troops had died since being despatched into fight this month.
Lee Seong-kweun, a South Korean MP, mentioned after assembly intelligence officers that the excessive variety of casualties may very well be attributed to the “unfamiliar battlefield atmosphere, the place North Korean forces are getting used as expendable frontline assault models, and their lack of functionality to counter drone assaults.”
Lee mentioned a number of North Korean casualties had been attributed to Ukrainian missile and drone assaults, and others to coaching accidents, with the highest-ranking sufferer “at the very least on the degree of a common”.
The JCS mentioned it was “notably involved in the opportunity of extra deployments” to help Russia’s battle effort, including that Pyongyang was “making ready for the rotation or extra deployment of troopers”.
The assertion mentioned North Korea was additionally “producing and offering self-destructing drones” – thought to check with assault drones – to be used by Russia, together with rocket launchers and self-propelled artillery.
The deployment of North Korean troopers marked a dramatic escalation within the battle in Ukraine, because the Kremlin turned to its ally to spice up its forces within the Kursk border area, the place Ukrainian forces seized territory this 12 months. It was additionally an indication of makes an attempt by Vladimir Putin to broaden the battle by the direct involvement in preventing of a 3rd nation.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wrote on X on Monday that there have been dangers “of North Korea sending extra troops and navy gear to the Russian military”. He mentioned that based on preliminary Ukrainian information, the variety of North Korean troopers killed and wounded within the Kursk area had already exceeded 3,000. The Guardian was unable to independently confirm the determine.
The as soon as unimaginable prospect of North Korean troopers – members of the nation’s 1.3 million-strong military – preventing in a European battle grew to become a actuality months after Putin and Kim Jong-un signed a mutual defence pact at a summit in Pyongyang in June.
While particulars of the settlement haven’t been launched, analysts consider the North Korean chief needs entry to Russian rocket know-how and different navy knowhow in trade for offering its forces with ammunition, weapons and reinforcements.
Up to 12,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to assist Russia within the battle, based on US and South Korean officers. Pyongyang has additionally despatched greater than 10,000 containers of artillery rounds, anti-tank rockets, in addition to mechanised howitzers and rocket launchers.
South Korea’s JCS mentioned the North was additionally utilizing the Ukraine theatre to modernise its warfare capabilities, including: “This might result in a rise within the North’s navy risk towards us.”
In response, South Korea and Ukraine mentioned final month they’d deepen safety cooperation, with the South’s now impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, refusing to rule out offering Kyiv with weapons.
South Korea is a serious arms exporter however has a longstanding coverage of not sending weapons to nations which might be engaged in battle.
North Korea has not referred to its troop deployments or weapons shipments in official statements, however final week it accused the US and its allies of “reckless provocation” for criticising its materials help for Russia.
A international ministry spokesperson mentioned the international ministers of 10 nations and the EU have been “distorting and slandering” Pyongyang’s “regular cooperative” ties with Moscow, based on state media.
In an announcement launched by Washington, Ukraine’s allies urged North Korea “to stop instantly all help for Russia’s battle of aggression towards Ukraine, together with by withdrawing its troops”.
