North Korean Casualties in Ukraine Conflict Surge Beyond 4,000

North Korean casualties in Ukraine have exceeded 4,000 as reported by the NIS, indicating significant losses among troops deployed by North Korea. Following heavy casualties at the Kursk front, North Korea has dispatched additional soldiers amid rising anxiety about conscription. Reports detail extreme measures taken by individuals to avoid enlistment and highlight the possibility of upcoming nuclear tests this year.

According to the National Intelligence Service (NIS), casualties among North Korean troops fighting for Russia in Ukraine have risen to over 4,000. Rep. Lee Seong-kweun, deputy chair of the National Assembly’s intelligence committee, stated that this number reflects an increase from earlier estimates which reported approximately 3,000 casualties in January. The report indicates that nearly one-third of the 11,000 troops sent by North Korea to Russia are now either killed or wounded.

Lee noted that following a brief withdrawal from the Kursk front line in February, North Korea has dispatched an additional 3,000 to 4,000 troops to replenish their forces. “North Korean troops have disappeared from the Kursk front briefly due to losing around 30 percent of their men, but they have since been replenished with additional dispatches,” he said.

The NIS suspects that the casualty figure may include senior-ranking officers, but North Korea is actively attempting to conceal its military involvement in Ukraine. “North Korea tries to recover as many bodies of its dead soldiers as possible to obscure signs of their involvement in the war,” according to Lee.

While Ukrainian authorities suggest that North Korean troops have positively impacted Russian forces in the Kursk battles, the NIS does not believe their contribution has been significant. Lee remarked, “North Korean troops were mostly used like expendables and are not thought to have played a decisive role in Russia’s recent gains in the Kursk region.”

Reports from the NIS indicate that North Korean soldiers were instructed to utilize grenades to avoid capture, reflecting the dire conditions and mental strain on the troops. Despite the absence of an official acknowledgment from North Korea regarding its military deployment, anxiety surrounding conscription persists among the population, especially among families with only one child.

Lee mentioned that some individuals are resorting to extreme measures such as self-inflicted mutilation to evade conscription, while the North Korean regime provides consolatory offerings to the families of deployed soldiers to mitigate unrest. Additionally, the NIS anticipates that North Korea is poised to conduct a nuclear weapons test at any time, despite ongoing uncertainty regarding the exact timeline.

The NIS report highlights a concerning rise in North Korean military casualties in Ukraine, indicating severe losses within their forces. The increase from previous estimates, along with reports of extreme measures taken by individuals to avoid conscription, reveals the desperation within the regime. Furthermore, the speculation regarding potential nuclear tests underscores the ongoing tensions in the region and the gravity of North Korea’s military activities.

Original Source: www.koreaherald.com