100 dead: “North Korean troops more of a burden than an asset” (Lee Sung-kwon)
Based on data from the country's National Intelligence Service, Seoul declared that at least 100 North Korean soldiers had been killed iduring fighting in Ukraine, and a further 1,000 wounded.
On Monday, December 16, an American Pentagon spokesman announced several casualties in the North Korean ranks, while Kiev, on the same day, reported at least 30 dead.
The information was confirmed by Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR). As reported by La Dépêche, it would appear that at this point in the war, reinforcements from North Korea weren't deployed on Ukrainian soil, in the east of the country, where Russian troops have made significant advances in recent months.
According to South Korean MP Lee Sung-kwon, reports indicate that preparations are underway for the deployment of additional reinforcements, and that at the request of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, these troops will receive further training before their departure. These remarks were reported by the BBC.
Lee Sung-kwon attributed the high number of casualties among North Korean troops to an “unfamiliar battlefield environment, where North Korean forces are used as replaceable front-line assault units, and their lack of ability to counter drone attacks. Within the Russian military, North Korean troops, not least because of their lack of drone knowledge, would be seen more as a burden than an asset”.
(MH with Manon Pierre - Source : La Dépêche - Illustration : Unsplash)