South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported on Monday that in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, around 1,100 North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured. This news comes after Seoul’s spy agency disclosed last week that at least 100 North Korean soldiers had died in combat since December. Pyongyang is said to be considering sending more troops to support the Russian military, particularly in the Kursk border region where Ukrainian forces previously gained ground.
The JCS stated, “Through various sources, we estimate that the North Korean soldiers involved in recent combat have suffered approximately 1,100 casualties. We are monitoring the potential for additional deployments to bolster Russia’s war efforts.” Additionally, intelligence suggests that North Korea has been providing Russia with self-destructible drones, 240mm rocket launchers, and 170mm self-propelled artillery.
South Korea’s military expressed concerns about North Korea’s efforts to enhance its conventional warfare capabilities based on experiences from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, potentially posing a greater threat. Recent findings support the belief that Russia could offer benefits to North Korea in exchange for military support, leading to the modernization of North Korea’s weaponry.
The relationship between North Korea and Russia has deepened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A defense agreement signed in June has come into effect, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un seeking advanced technology and battle experience for his troops. North Korea criticized the US and its allies for condemning its support of Russia in the conflict. South Korea and Ukraine have pledged to enhance security cooperation in response to the deployment of North Korean troops, with discussions ongoing about potential arms shipments.
North Korea has been strengthening its border security by constructing a new fence, with soldiers seen testing electric barbed-wire fences using goats. This security reinforcement project has involved up to 10,000 soldiers over eight months, according to military officials.
“To prevent defections by North Korean civilians and soldiers southward,” the JCS said in its report. The North has also launched around 7,000 trash-carrying balloons into the South on 32 occasions since May, Seoul’s military said. Activist groups in South Korea have long sent propaganda northwards, typically carried by balloons, including leaflets, U.S. dollar bills, and sometimes USB drives containing K-pop or K-dramas, which are banned in the tightly controlled North. Pyongyang rails at such activity and has said its trash-carrying balloon offensive is in retaliation for the activists’ propaganda efforts. While Pyongyang has refrained from launching such balloons since November 29, “indications of their readiness for a surprise launch at multiple sites” have been observed, Seoul’s military said. Sen. Joe Manchin says he believes the Senate is “not going to let the filibuster blow apart.” How Israel’s Mossad tricked Hezbollah into buying explosive pagers | 60 Minutes. In Asheville, N.C., gingerbread houses reflect community spirit.
