Wed Apr 30 07:12:23 UTC 2025: ## Seoul: Thousands of North Korean Soldiers Killed or Wounded Fighting in Ukraine
**Seoul, South Korea –** South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) revealed on Wednesday that an estimated 4,700 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. This includes approximately 600 deaths. The NIS reported that 2,000 injured soldiers were repatriated between January and March. The bodies of the deceased were cremated in Russia before being returned to North Korea.
This significantly increases the previously reported casualty figures. The NIS had earlier estimated 300 deaths and 2,700 injuries in January, revising the estimate to 4,000 last month.
The disclosure follows North Korea’s first acknowledgement of sending troops to aid Russia in reclaiming the Kursk region. Both North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin cited their 2024 defense treaty as justification for the deployment. Putin publicly thanked North Korea for its support.
While North Korea claims its troops are fighting to “annihilate Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers,” the U.S., South Korea, and Ukraine allege that North Korea has provided Russia with significant quantities of conventional weapons, potentially worth billions of dollars. In return, Russia is suspected of supplying North Korea with military technology, including air defense missiles, electronic warfare equipment, drones, and spy satellite launch technology. The NIS also reported that 15,000 North Korean laborers are currently working in Russia under bilateral industrial cooperation programs.
The NIS assessment suggests that a total of 10,000 to 12,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia since last fall, with an additional 3,000 arriving earlier this year, according to South Korea’s military. The high casualty rate underscores the significant military commitment North Korea has made to the conflict.
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