At least 100 North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia have died, and another 1,000 have been injured during intense battles with Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region.
This was stated by South Korean MP Lee Seong-kweun, reports Reuters.
Lee said that, according to intelligence, the heavy losses are due to the North Korean troops' lack of experience with drones and unfamiliarity with the open terrain where they are forced to fight. He spoke after a closed briefing of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) in parliament.
According to Lee Seong-kweun, the discrepancy in the estimated number of killed soldiers compared to a U.S. military official's data, which mentioned several hundred casualties, is explained by the relatively conservative analysis of the National Intelligence Service.
"At least 100 deaths have been reported, and the number of injured approaches 1,000," he said.
Lee added that there are signs that North Korea is preparing for further troop deployments.
The report echoes comments by U.S. and Ukrainian officials, who note significant North Korean losses and that Russia is deploying them in large numbers for offensives in the Kursk region.
According to U.S. and South Korean officials, over 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to assist Russia in the war. Pyongyang has also sent over 10,000 containers of artillery shells, anti-tank missiles, mechanized howitzers, and rocket launchers.
Neither North Korea nor Russia has officially acknowledged the troop deployments or weapons supplies.
In June, Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang and signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" agreement with Kim Jong Un, which included a mutual defense pact.
