North Korea rethinks military support for Russia amid heavy losses in Ukraine
North Korea might be turning its back on Putin as North Korean soldiers could be halting their return to the Kursk region, reports BILD.
Kim Jong-un may not be able to risk sacrificing a significant number of troops. If losses continue to mount, he might downgrade support to supplying weapons to Russia.
North Korean forces dispatched to support Moscow in its conflict with Ukraine have reportedly suffered devastating casualties, forcing a retreat from the battlefield. According to Ukrainian military sources, North Korean soldiers were involved in poorly-prepared assaults, resulting in a major disaster, as mentioned by BILD.
Ukrainian officials note a lack of North Korean troop activity over the past three weeks. Colonel Oleksandr Kondratenko of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces stated, "We have observed no actions or engagements involving North Koreans recently." As reported earlier by The New York Times, North Korean soldiers have reportedly withdrawn. "We believe their withdrawal is a result of heavy losses," Kondratenko added.
Frederic Spohr, a director at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in South Korea, explained in an interview with BILD: "Whether the North Koreans will completely pull out remains to be seen. It's evident, however, that Kim can't risk losing too many soldiers without facing internal pressure. High casualties might shift his support to providing Russia with weapons only."
According to data from South Korea, Ukraine, and the U.S., North Korea has sent around 11,000 mercenaries to Russia since October 2024. However, poorly executed attacks have resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries among these troops.
North Korean state media have yet to officially acknowledge their involvement in the war. Spohr noted this poses a problem for Kim's regime: "Handling potentially considerable losses and justifying them to the public and families could be challenging. Kim is desperate to avoid unrest and instability."