North Korean Soldiers Suffer Heavy Casualties in Ukraine War

According to a report from a South Korean lawmaker on January 13, around 300 North Korean soldiers have lost their lives and about 2,700 have sustained injuries while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. These figures are derived from information provided by Seoul’s National Intelligence Service. Previously, it was noted that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has dispatched more than 10,000 soldiers to serve in this capacity, allegedly in exchange for military technical support for North Korea’s weaponry and satellite programs, which are under strict international sanctions.

Over the weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the capture of two North Korean soldiers and shared footage of their interrogation, suggesting potential negotiations for a prisoner exchange involving Ukrainian captives. Lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun stated that the deployment of North Korean troops now spans into the Kursk region, with casualty estimates for these forces exceeding 3,000. The details reveal that many North Korean soldiers, believed to be from the prestigious Storm Corps, have been ordered to either take their own lives or self-detonate to avoid being captured by Ukrainian forces.

Lee highlighted alarming instances in which memos from deceased soldiers indicated they faced pressure from North Korean authorities to commit suicide or use explosives rather than be caught. Some soldiers have reportedly sought “amnesty” or expressed a desire to join the Workers' Party of North Korea in hopes of improving their situations through participation in the conflict. One disturbing incident involved a North Korean soldier attempting to detonate a grenade as capture neared, only to be shot down before he could do so.

Furthermore, the analysis from the National Intelligence Service pointed out that North Korean troops exhibit a limited understanding of contemporary warfare, which contributes to the high casualty rates among their ranks. In a separate announcement, Kyiv's Special Operations Forces reported that an additional 18 North Korean troops were killed during an assault on Ukrainian positions in Kursk, with details indicating that 17 were killed by Ukrainian fire, while another soldier died after detonating a grenade.