Now linked to Russia by a “comprehensive partnership” treaty providing for a mutual defense clause, North Korea has deployed 10,000 to 12,000 soldiers in the Kursk region, partially controlled by Ukrainian forces since August 6. .
However, in recent days, and for the first time in seventy years, the Korean People's Army has been engaged in combat, alongside Russian forces. Hence the first losses it suffered.
Indeed, on December 16, the General Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense [GUR] claimed that at least thirty North Korean soldiers were killed or injured near the villages of Vorojba and Martynovka.
“For three days, the enemy has been carrying out intense offensive operations in the Kursk region, actively using units of the North Korean army,” then commented General Oleksandr Syrsky, the chief of staff of the forces. armies, December 17. The North Koreans have already “suffered heavy losses,” he added.
The next day, a Ukrainian officer told the Associated Press that at least 200 North Korean troops had been knocked out of action. This was then confirmed, without giving figures, by a senior American military official, who mentioned “hundreds” of killed and wounded.
According to videos of the battles broadcast via social networks, North Korean soldiers are launching assault waves like during the Korean War [voir photo ci-dessus]. Obviously, they were not prepared to deal with FPV drones [First Person View]who are wreaking havoc in their ranks. Furthermore, having not had the opportunity to conduct joint exercises with their Russian counterparts, their attacks are not coordinated and, a priori, do not benefit from support. What's more, the language barrier makes things even more complicated for them.
Result: the rate of losses suffered by the North Korean contingent can only accelerate.
“We estimate that North Korean troops, who recently went into battle against Ukrainian forces, suffered approximately 1,100 casualties [morts et blessés] “, thus put forward the Committee of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea [JCS]who is obviously following this matter very closely.
“North Korea is seeking to modernize its conventional warfare capabilities with Russian assistance, building on its combat experience against Ukrainian forces. This could lead to an increase in the military threat from the North against us,” says the JCS.
In addition, according to the same source, Pyongyang is preparing to send reinforcements as well as deliver artillery pieces to Russia, including 170 mm M-1978/1989 Koksan cannons. [deux exemplaires ont déjà été photographiés à Krasnoïarsk] and 240 mm multiple rocket launchers.
If the loss rate of the North Korean contingent deployed in Kursk has already reached 9%, according to figures given by the JCS, it is well below that communicated by Volodymyr Zelinsky, the Ukrainian president, on December 23.
“The number of North Korean soldiers killed and wounded fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk oblast in Russia has exceeded 3,000,” said Mr. Zelinsky, via Telegram. “There is a risk that North Korea will send additional soldiers and military equipment to the Russian army, and we will have to provide concrete responses to this,” he added.
However, despite its inexperience and vulnerability to FPV drones, this North Korean contingent nevertheless allowed Russian forces to advance “a few kilometers” in the Kursk region, notes the Kyiv Independent newspaper. This is evidenced by the latest assessment by the Ministry of the Armed Forces, which reports a “multiplication of Russian offensives” in the Soudja sector.
