Ukraine: North Korean casualties in Kursk exceed 7,000, report confirms
Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- Ukraine's military intelligence claims over 7,000 North Korean soldiers have become casualties in Russia's Kursk region.
- This figure significantly exceeds estimates from South Korean and British intelligence agencies.
- North Korea reportedly sent approximately 15,000 troops to Kursk as part of a strategic partnership with Russia.
Ukraine's military intelligence has reported that over 7,000 North Korean soldiers have suffered casualties while deployed in Russia's Kursk region. This figure, cited by the Kyiv Independent, substantially surpasses previous estimates from South Korean and British intelligence services.
Over 7,000 North Korean soldiers have suffered casualties in Russia's Kursk region.
The casualties reportedly occurred between August 2024 and March 2025 during Ukrainian military operations to reclaim territory in Kursk. Although Ukrainian forces initially gained ground through high-risk operations, they were eventually forced to withdraw due to complex supply issues and a strong counter-offensive by Russian forces supported by North Korea.
North Korea dispatched around 15,000 troops to the Kursk region starting in October 2024, following a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed with Russia in June 2024. An additional contingent of about 1,000 engineers was reportedly sent for tasks such as demining.
North Korea dispatched approximately 15,000 troops to the Kursk region.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service had previously estimated North Korean casualties at 4,700 in April 2025, later revising the number of fatalities to around 2,000 after further review. In June 2025, British defense intelligence suggested that the number of North Korean soldiers killed or wounded in Kursk could have exceeded 6,000.
The number of North Korean soldiers killed or wounded in Kursk may have exceeded 6,000.
The Ukrainian military intelligence's figure of 7,058 cumulative casualties (2,251 killed, 4,807 wounded) since the initial deployment in October 2024 appears to be a reiteration of a report from the previous month. North Korea's involvement was described as a critical contribution to Russia's recapture of the region by March 2025.
Cumulative North Korean casualties reached 7,058 (2,251 killed, 4,807 wounded) since the first deployment in October 2024.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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