Anchor: South Korea’s state intelligence agency says North Korea has received Russian military technologies and drones in return for dispatching troops to the Russia-Ukraine war. According to lawmakers who received intelligence briefings from the National Intelligence Service, more than 600 North Korean soldiers died in the battles.
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: The National Intelligence Service(NIS) believes roughly 600 North Korean soldiers have died fighting for Russia and another four-thousand-100 have been injured. 

That’s according to Rep. Lee Seong-kweun, who received a closed-door briefing from the intelligence agency on Wednesday.

[Sound bite: People Power Party Rep. Lee Seong-kweun - Nat’l Assembly Intelligence Committee (Korean-English)]
“North Korea has assisted Russia in recapturing the Kursk area by sending 15-thousand troops via two deployments. Fighting in the Kursk area has died down since March, when Russia virtually regained control of the area. It has been reported that due to their prolonged deployment, some North Korean soldiers have engaged in excessive drinking or stealing. So far, the number of casualties stands at 47-hundred North Korean soldiers, of whom roughly 600 have been killed.”

The NIS also believes the North enhanced its combat capabilities during its extended participation in the war.

After the NIS briefing, Rep. Kim Byung-kee told reporters that North Korea received key military technologies in return for the deployment.

[Sound bite: Democratic Party Rep. Kim Byung-kee - Nat’l Assembly Intelligence Committee (Korean-English)]
“North Korea is assessed to have secured some economic and military benefits in return for deploying troops and exporting weapons to Russia. So far there is no evidence that North Korea received any cash for the billions of dollars’ worth of missiles and shells it provided to Russia. ... Militarily, North Korea is believed to have obtained Russian advice related to reconnaissance satellite and launch platform technologies, as well as receiving drones, electronic warfare equipment and surface-to-air SA-22 missiles.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Lee said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is not expected to visit Russia for the nation’s Victory Day celebration next month.

[Sound bite: People Power Party Rep. Lee Seong-kweun - Nat’l Assembly Intelligence Committee (Korean-English)]
“It is assessed that North Korea and Russia could resume talks to arrange a visit to Russia for Kim Jong-un, given that the talks have reached a new turning point with the two countries making the troops’ deployment official. It is believed that Kim will probably not attend Russia’s 80th Victory Day ceremony but will send a senior official, such as Choe Ryong-hae, on his behalf.”

The NIS believes that North Korea is also trying to improve relations with China as a way to hedge the risks that might follow the end of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.