Nearly 11,000 North Korean troops join Russian forces in Kursk Oblast
About 10,900 North Korean soldiers have been deployed in Russia's Kursk Oblast, with some already participating in the war against Ukraine, South Korean lawmaker Lee Song-kweun said, citing the National Intelligence Service, Reuters wrote on Nov. 20.
The South Korean parliament intelligence committee member highlighted that North Korea has supplied Russia with additional weaponry, including self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launch systems to aid its war efforts in Ukraine.
While South Korea's intelligence is still verifying the exact number of casualties among North Korean troops and whether any have been captured, conflicting reports continue to emerge.
North Korea’s military involvement in Ukraine
Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) reported on Oct. 18 that nearly 11,000 North Korean troops were training in eastern Russia to fight in Ukraine. South Korea's intelligence also confirmed that Russia was preparing North Korean special forces for combat roles in Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte later confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
North Korean soldiers have been equipped with basic infantry weapons such as mortars, rifles, and machine guns, Ukrainian Intelligence reported.
Reports from The Washington Post indicate that in exchange for military support, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un receives funds, military technologies, and heightened global attention from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the presence of 11,000 North Korean troops in Kursk Oblast on Nov. 4.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed the first minor clashes with North Korean troops on the Kursk front on Nov. 5.
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