600 North Korean Soldiers Reportedly Dead in Ukraine War, MPs Reveal

Shocking new details have emerged regarding North Korea’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war, with South Korean lawmakers revealing that over 600 North Korean troops have reportedly died while fighting alongside Russian forces.

The revelation came after a closed-door intelligence briefing held on Wednesday by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS). Speaking to the press, Lee Seong-kweun and Kim Byung-kee—members of South Korea’s Democratic and People Power parties—confirmed that, according to intelligence estimates, approximately 4,700 North Korean soldiers have either been killed or wounded since joining the front lines in Ukraine.

“After six months of participation in the war, the North Korean military has become less inept, and its combat capability has significantly improved as it becomes accustomed to using new weapons such as drones,” Lee stated.

This disclosure comes just two days after Pyongyang officially acknowledged for the first time that it had deployed troops to Russia. In a statement released Monday by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un claimed the deployment aimed to "annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers" and to help "liberate the Kursk area" in coordination with Russian forces.

According to NIS estimates, North Korea has sent about 15,000 troops in total to support Russia’s war effort. In return, Pyongyang has reportedly received advanced military technology, including:

• Spy satellite development support

• Drone systems and electronic warfare equipment

• SA-22 surface-to-air missiles

Analysts say this exchange of manpower for military tech could reshape North Korea’s defense capabilities, as prolonged exposure to modern warfare tactics enhances the operational skillset of its armed forces.

The growing alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang has triggered international concerns over escalating global militarization and the further deterioration of peace efforts in Eastern Europe.

As North Korea becomes more deeply entrenched in the conflict, experts warn that its involvement could complicate diplomatic efforts and expand the scope of the war far beyond Ukraine's borders.