North Korea likely suffered 6,000 casualties fighting in Ukraine, British intelligence says

A wounded soldier, suspected to be North Korean and captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's western Kursk region, is seen in this file photo posted on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's X account on Jan. 12. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
A wounded soldier, suspected to be North Korean and captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s western Kursk region, is seen in this file photo posted on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s X account on Jan. 12. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

North Korea has β€œhighly likely” suffered more than 6,000 casualties in fighting Ukrainian forces in the Kursk front for Russia, Britain’s Defense Ministry said in a new report on June 15.

β€œThe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) forces have highly likely suffered more than 6,000 casualties in offensive combat operations against Ukrainian forces in the Russian oblast of Kursk,” an β€œIntelligence Update” report released by the ministry on June 15 on X, formerly Twitter, read. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is North Korea’s official name.

β€œThe total casualties amount to more than half of the approximately 11,000 DPRK troops initially deployed to the Kursk region,” the report said. β€œOpen-source reports suggest the DPRK has subsequently deployed limited numbers of additional troops to Kursk.”

β€œSignificant DPRK casualty rates have almost certainly been suffered primarily through large, highly attritional dismounted assaults,” the report added.

The British intelligence report also detailed recent exchanges between Pyongyang and Moscow amid heightened military cooperation.

β€œOn June 4, Russian Security Council Secretary and ex-Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reportedly visited DPRK for a meeting with DPRK leader Kim Jong-un,” the report went on. β€œShoigu has highly likely been a key interlocutor with DPRK regarding DPRK’s support to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.”

A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, meeting with Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu at the headquarters of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 4. [YONHAP]
A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, meeting with Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu at the headquarters of the Workers’ Party of Korea Central Committee in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 4. [YONHAP]

β€œDPRK operations have thus far been confined to the Kursk region,” the report said. β€œAny decision to deploy into internationally recognized, sovereign Ukrainian territory in support of Russian forces would almost certainly require sign-off from both Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un.”

North Korea deployed about 11,000 troops to fight Ukraine in Russia’s war against it last year, and this year, Pyongyang sent another 3,000 additional soldiers to Moscow, according to the South Korean military.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told the National Assembly in April this year that North Korea has suffered around 4,700 casualties.

BY LIM JEONG-WONΒ  [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]

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