Overview

• North Korea officially confirmed deploying troops to Russia to support operations in the Kursk region, marking its first overseas combat role since the Korean War.
• Kim Jong Un ordered the deployment under a June 2024 mutual defense treaty with Vladimir Putin, which commits both nations to military assistance if attacked.
• Russia claims North Korean forces helped reclaim Kursk from Ukraine, but Kyiv disputes the region's full recapture, stating defensive operations are ongoing.
• South Korea and Western nations condemned the deployment as a violation of UN resolutions, with Seoul labeling it a criminal act and calling for immediate troop withdrawal.
• Estimates suggest 10,000–12,000 North Korean soldiers were sent, with casualties reported between 1,200 and 4,000; Pyongyang plans to honor the fallen with a monument in its capital.