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NEW DELHI: At least 100 North Korean soldiers have been killed since entering combat in Ukraine in December, a South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun claimed on Thursday.
The casualties are part of a growing number of North Korean troops deployed to support Russia's war effort. Pyongyang has sent thousands of soldiers, including reinforcements to the Kursk border region, where Ukrainian forces recently regained territory.
"In December, they (North Korean troops) engaged in actual combat, during which at least 100 fatalities occurred," said Lee.
"The National Intelligence Service also reported that the number of injured is expected to reach nearly 1,000."
He added that several high-ranking officials were among the casualties, citing Ukraine's missile and drone attacks, as well as training accidents, as contributing factors.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea mentioned that the heavy casualties are partly due to the North Korean forces' unfamiliarity with the battlefield environment. North Korean troops, often deployed as expendable frontline assault units, are struggling to counter Ukraine’s advanced drone warfare.
Lee also added that NIS has come across rumours of additional deployment of troops circulating within North Korea's "Storm Corps".
"They (NIS) are closely monitoring the possibility of further North Korean troop deployments, while also predicting that Russia might offer reciprocal benefits, such as modernising North Korea's conventional weaponry," said Lee.
This report came after a statement by a senior US military official earlier this week, who confirmed that "several hundred" North Korean soldiers had been killed while fighting in Russia’s Kursk region.
Ukraine's commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, had previously described the use of North Korean forces as part of "intensive offensive" in the region.
North Korea and Russia have strengthened their military ties since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In June, the two countries signed a landmark defence pact, which went into effect earlier this month.
Experts believe that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, is keen to seek advanced military technology from Russia and valuable combat experience for his troops through this partnership.
