The joint chiefs of staff (JCS) said in a statement: "We assess that North Korean troops, who have recently engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces, have suffered around 1,100 casualties."
The JCS did not say how many troops had been killed in action, but the claims underline the risks posed to North Korea's untested armed forces amid reports that Pyongyang is poised to send further reinforcements to Ukraine.
Last week, South Korea's spy agency claimed that at least 100 North Korean troops had died since being sent into combat this month.
The high number of casualties could be attributed to the "unfamiliar battlefield environment, where North Korean forces are being used as expendable frontline assault units, and their lack of capability to counter drone attacks", Lee Seong-kweun, a South Korean MP, told reporters after meeting intelligence officials.
Denne historien er fra December 24, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
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Denne historien er fra December 24, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
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Stokes faces three months out but vows to fight back
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