Why Are North Korean Soldiers Dying in Ukraine? The Deadly Frontline Battle Revealed

The number of North Korean casualties in the Ukraine war is estimated to be in the hundreds. Previously assigned to rear security duties, North Korean troops have reportedly been deployed to the front lines since last week.

On Tuesday, the Associated Press(AP), citing an anonymous senior U.S. military official, reported that North Korean casualties number in the hundreds. The official noted that North Korean forces are engaged in combat in Russia’s Kursk region near the border but did not provide exact fatality figures. He assessed that the North Korean troops lack substantial combat experience, contributing to the high casualty numbers.

The same day, Radio Free Asia(RFA) reported that Ukraine’s 8th Special Operations Regiment (COO) posted on Telegram claiming to have killed 50 North Korean soldiers and injured 47 in the Kursk region over the past three days. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also shared a video on Telegram alleging that Russia is burning the faces of deceased North Korean soldiers to conceal their identities.

Since October, North Korea has reportedly deployed approximately 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia. On November 25, U.S. Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh stated that they could not confirm North Korean casualties. By December 9, she acknowledged the presence of North Korean troops in Kursk but had not observed their participation in combat.

On December 5, the Ukrainian media outlet The Kyiv Independent reported that North Korean troops were initially assigned guard duties. By sharing these responsibilities, Russian forces could deploy more of their own troops to the front lines.

However, during a briefing on Monday, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder stated, “We do assess that North Korean soldiers have engaged in combat in Kursk … we do have indications that they have suffered casualties, both killed and wounded.” He estimated that North Korean troops have been engaged in combat since last week. On the same day, John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, mentioned in a briefing that in recent days, North Korean soldiers have moved from secondary positions to the front lines and are actively participating in combat operations, with estimated casualties in the dozens.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on North Korean casualties during a briefing on Monday, directing inquiries to the Ministry of Defense. The Russian Ministry of Defense did not issue a separate statement on the matter that day.