North Korea deployed approximately 3,000 additional troops to Russia in January and February, continuing its support for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, according to South Korea’s latest assessment

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported on Thursday that North Korea has also been supplying Russia with missiles, artillery, and ammunition and may increase its weapons shipments depending on the evolving war. While Russia and Ukraine recently agreed to a limited ceasefire, both nations have accused each other of breaching it.

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The military supplies North Korea has sent to Russia include a substantial quantity of short-range ballistic missiles, 170mm self-propelled howitzers, and around 220 units of 240mm multiple rocket launchers.

In total, North Korea has dispatched roughly 11,000 troops to take part in the conflict in Ukraine—its first large-scale military involvement since the Korean War (1950–53). The Joint Chiefs estimate that about 4,000 of those troops have either been killed or injured.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service had previously attributed the high casualty rate among North Korean forces to their struggle in adapting to drones and other modern warfare tactics. Additionally, their Russian commanders’ reliance on crude military strategies—such as sending North Korean troops into battle without adequate rear-fire support—has further contributed to their losses, according to a January briefing to lawmakers.

Despite this, Ukrainian military and intelligence officials believe that North Korean troops are gaining vital battlefield experience and have played a crucial role in Russia’s strategy of overwhelming Ukrainian forces by deploying large numbers of soldiers, particularly in the battle for Kursk.

This assessment from South Korea follows a recent meeting in Pyongyang between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian security official Sergei Shoigu, where Kim reaffirmed his unwavering support for Russia’s war effort. State media reports indicate that Kim and Shoigu also reaffirmed their commitment to a major mutual defence treaty signed last year. On Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told Russian media that discussions were ongoing regarding a potential visit by Kim to Moscow, though no specific date had been set.

“We always discuss the possibility of exchange visits with all our partners. We are constantly making preparations,” Rudenko told RIA Novosti.

North Korea fires several ballistic missiles after the US and South Korea began military drills

Kim Unveils New Military Drones

Kim’s military assistance to Russia has raised concerns that North Korea may receive advanced Russian technology in return, potentially boosting the capabilities of its nuclear-armed forces. Experts suggest that aircraft and drones could be among the technologies North Korea seeks to acquire from Russia.

On Thursday, North Korean state media reported that Kim had recently observed tests of newly developed reconnaissance and attack drones, calling for their mass production. Over the past several months, Kim has increasingly emphasised drone development, and these tests mark the latest demonstration of North Korea’s advancing military capabilities.

Photos published by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed Kim monitoring a large reconnaissance drone resembling the U.S.-made RQ-4B Global Hawk, first unveiled during a military exhibition in 2023. Other images depicted Kim inside what appeared to be an airborne early warning aircraft, similar in design to the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail. Additional photos showed explosive drones crashing into military vehicles, which were used as targets.

KCNA stated that the reconnaissance drone successfully demonstrated its ability to track multiple targets and monitor troop movements on land and at sea, potentially enhancing North Korea’s intelligence-gathering and threat-neutralisation capabilities. The report also claimed that the newly developed explosive drones are designed for various attack missions and incorporate unspecified artificial intelligence technology.

Kim expressed satisfaction with the drones' performance and approved an expansion of production, stressing that both drones and AI should be prioritised in modernising his armed forces, according to KCNA. The report stated that the tests were conducted during Kim’s visits to a drone technology facility and an electronic warfare research group on Tuesday and Wednesday.

This follows previous demonstrations of explosive drones, which Kim inspected in August and November last year.

When asked about the early warning aircraft unveiled by North Korean state media, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Lee Sung Joon said the North likely modified an existing plane for this purpose, possibly incorporating Russian components. However, he noted that the aircraft’s operational effectiveness remains unproven.

“As seen in the released images, the aircraft appears quite cumbersome, and we assess that it would likely be vulnerable to interception,” Lee said during a briefing, without providing further details.