At least 100 North Korean soldiers deployed to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine have been killed in combat since December, according to South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun. Lee shared the figures on Thursday following a briefing by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), highlighting the growing involvement of North Korea in the conflict.

“In December, they [North Korean troops] engaged in actual combat, during which at least 100 fatalities occurred,” Lee told reporters. The deployment follows reports from Western analysts that Russia recruited approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers to bolster its military campaign in Ukraine.

The troops have reportedly been deployed in various capacities, including reinforcing Russian forces in the Kursk region. This area has seen intensified fighting as Russia attempts to regain territory lost during a surprise Ukrainian counteroffensive earlier this year. Despite the heavy losses, Lee disclosed that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing to train a new special operations force to potentially replace the fallen troops.

The NIS also indicated that the number of injured North Korean soldiers is approaching 1,000, further underscoring the high casualty rate. On Monday, Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence agency reported that North Korean units had suffered at least 30 casualties, including both killed and wounded, during clashes in several villages on the front lines of the Kursk region. This marked the first detailed account of North Korean losses by Ukrainian authorities.

Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder confirmed that the United States has “indications” of casualties among North Korean forces, though the exact figures remain unverified. Russia, for its part, has neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Korean troops.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy further alleged attempts by Russia to conceal the involvement of North Korean forces. In a video shared on X, Zelenskyy claimed that Russian soldiers had burned the faces of fallen North Korean troops to hide their identities before burial in the Kursk region. The video purportedly shows bodies of North Korean soldiers on the snowy ground, with parts of their bodies being set on fire.

“This is a demonstration of disrespect, which is currently prevalent in Russia, a disrespect to everything human,” Zelenskyy wrote, accusing Moscow of barring North Korean troops from revealing their identities, even during training.

According to Lee, North Korea’s elite Storm Corps remains capable of deploying additional reinforcements to compensate for the mounting losses. The NIS suggested that Russia may offer North Korea reciprocal benefits, such as modernizing its weaponry, in exchange for continued support.

However, the challenges faced by North Korean troops in unfamiliar battlefield conditions have been significant. “Several North Korean casualties have been attributed to Ukrainian missile and drone attacks, as well as training accidents,” Lee stated, adding that the highest-ranking fatality was “at least at the level of a general.”

Within the Russian military, complaints have reportedly emerged regarding the limited utility of North Korean troops. “Due to their lack of knowledge about drones, North Korean soldiers are seen more as a burden than an asset,” Lee noted.

As Russia and North Korea deepen their military ties, the involvement of North Korean troops in the conflict underscores the widening global ramifications of the war in Ukraine. The high casualty rates and operational challenges, however, raise questions about the long-term effectiveness of this partnership.