The intelligence agencies of South Korea and the United States have separately confirmed that North Korean troops have engaged in combat alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region.
According to KBS and a briefing from the U.S. State Department, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service stated on November 13 that North Korean troops deployed in Russia have started combat operations after completing their training and gradually deploying to the battlefield over the past two weeks.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel, during a briefing, reported that over 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed in eastern Russia, with most now relocated to the western part of the Kursk region, where they are actively engaging in combat with Russian forces.
The North Korean regime has sent its troops to support Russia in the war against Ukraine. Estimates suggest between 8,000 and 12,000 North Korean soldiers are in Russia to help counter Ukrainian Armed Forces.