North Korea’s losses in the Russia-Ukraine war are heavy, as more than 1,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured, South Korea’s General Staff (JCS) announced today.

The new figure follows a report by Seoul’s intelligence agency to lawmakers last week that said that at least 100 North Korean soldiers have been killed since they became involved in the fighting in December.

It is recalled that Pyongyang has sent thousands of soldiers to reinforce the Russian army, including in the border region of Kursk, where Ukrainian forces seized territory earlier this year.

Through various intelligence sources, North Korean troops recently engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces and are estimated to have suffered around 1,100 casualties, while the possibility of additional North Korean troop deployments to aid Russia’s war effort is of high interest, the statement said. JCS, adding that Pyongyang is reportedly preparing for a switch or additional deployment of soldiers.

The intelligence also suggests that the nuclear-armed North is producing and supplying drones to Russia to further aid Moscow in its fight against Ukraine.

As the JCS reported, the North is also supplying 240 mm rocket launchers and 170 mm self-propelled artillery, also aiming to modernise conventional warfare capabilities based on combat experience in the Russia-Ukraine war.

With information from: AMNA, AFP

Also read: Russia – North Korea | Validation of military cooperation treaty