DPRK forces had lost 4,000 people in offensive combat operations against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region. Of these, about a quarter were killed in action, according to the UK Ministry of Defense.

The officials, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, said that out of the estimated 11,000 troops sent from North Korea, known as DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), 4,000 were battle casualties.

UK Defence Intelligence has analysed that as of January 2025, North Korea has already lost about 4,000 military personnel in the Russian-Ukrainian war who took part in the fighting in Russiaʼs Kursk Oblast.

The losses represent over a third of the approximately 11,000 North Korean troops deployed in Kursk Oblast. The high casualty rate has severely degraded the ability of North Korean forces to conduct offensive operations in support of Russia's attempts to push Ukrainian forces out of Kursk Oblast.