‘600 North Korean soldiers killed fighting for Russia’

Emergency services personnel extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Pic/AFP

Around 600 North Korean soldiers are believed to have died while fighting alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine, with more than 4000 others reportedly injured, South Korea's intelligence agency informed lawmakers on Wednesday. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) shared this assessment during a private session with the National Assembly's intelligence committee.

According to lawmakers Lee Seong-kweun from the People Power Party and Kim Byung-kee of the Democratic Party, the NIS reported that approximately 15,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, with total casualties estimated at around 4700, including 600 fatalities.

North Korea has deployed its troops to Russia over two phases, and fighting has decreased since April after Moscow took back most areas of its front-line region of Kursk, the lawmakers quoted the NIS as saying, Yonhap reported. In exchange for providing troops and weapons, North Korea is believed to have received military and technological assets from Russia, including a launch site for reconnaissance satellites, drones, electronic warfare systems, and SA-22 surface-to-air missiles.

This assessment comes just two days after North Korea, for the first time, confirmed it had sent troops to fight for Russia and a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude for the help.

North Korea tests weapons on new warship

Destroyer Choe Hyon test-fires a missile. Pic/AFP

North Korea tested, for the first time, critical weapons systems on its new destroyer, with leader Kim Jong-un emphasising the urgency of boosting the navy's nuclear capabilities. The tests took place on Monday and Tuesday under Kim's supervision and involved the "combat application" of armaments installed on the new 5000-tonne warship, named Choe Hyon. The destroyer, launched last Friday, is equipped with an array of offensive weapons, including supersonic strategic cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, and other advanced strike systems.

Kremlin says peace deal can't be made quickly

Clinching a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war "is far too complex to be done quickly", a senior Kremlin official said. Russian President Vladimir Putin backs calls for a ceasefire before peace negotiations, "but before it's done, it's necessary to answer a few questions and sort out a few nuances", Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Putin also is ready for direct talks with Ukraine without preconditions to seek a peace deal, he added.