Overview

• South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff confirm North Korea deployed 3,000 more troops to Russia in early 2025, raising the total to approximately 11,000 soldiers.
• Of the deployed troops, around 4,000 have been killed or injured, with reports of high casualties attributed to modern warfare challenges and crude Russian tactics.
• North Korea continues to supply Russia with significant military equipment, including ballistic missiles, self-propelled howitzers, and multiple rocket launchers.
• Kim Jong Un oversaw tests of new reconnaissance and attack drones, potentially incorporating Russian technology, and approved plans for expanded production.
• The growing Russia-North Korea alliance, formalized through a 2024 mutual defense treaty, raises global concerns over technology transfers and Pyongyang's military ambitions.