According to South Korean intelligence, since September 2025, North Korea has sent about 5,000 troops to Russian territory. Yonhap news agency reported this through its sources.
According to reports, these soldiers were mainly involved in "infrastructure restoration work." Among them are special sapper units engaged in mine clearing, the number of which is said to be around a thousand.
Member of the South Korean parliament Lee Seung-woong stated that intelligence has noted that the DPRK is conducting special training and selection work for personnel to be sent to Russia.
It has been reported that there are currently about 10,000 North Korean military personnel near the Russian-Ukrainian border.
In the fall of 2024, it was reported for the first time that DPRK troops participated in the battles in the Kursk region. At that time, Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence classified them as "units assisting the Russian army," and Moscow did not deny this information, nor did it confirm it.
In April 2025, Russia officially admitted that the North Korean military fought in its ranks. The head of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, reported to President Vladimir Putin that "the contribution of DPRK troops to the success of the operation" in the Kursk region was significant.
Kim Jong Un personally awarded the commanders who participated in the battles in August. This situation was explained by analysts' opinion that "North Korea could end its direct military involvement."
According to Western and South Korean sources, approximately 15,000 North Koreans may have participated in the fighting in Kursk, with between 500 and 1,500 of them reportedly killed.
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