North Korean military attacks in Kursk Oblast not so effective, they suffer losses – Pentagon

North Korean troops are suffering significant losses in Russia's Kursk Oblast, with their attacks proving ineffective, according to the Pentagon's Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh.

Singh stated that North Korean forces are experiencing "significant amount of casualties" in Kursk Oblast, confirming the White House's data of 1,000 killed and wounded soldiers.

"What we're seeing right now is that the assaults that the DPRK soldiers are launching within that Kursk Oblast are proving to be [not] that effective," Singh said.

She noted that the Pentagon had previously reported North Korea's deployment of approximately 12,000 soldiers to support Russia's war against Ukraine, indicating a deepening alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang.

However, the Pentagon cannot confirm whether North Korea has started sending more soldiers to Russia. This does not mean such a scenario is impossible in the future, Singh stressed.

• On December 16, 2024, the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council revealed the tactics of North Korean soldiers in Kursk Oblast: they are amassed in dugouts and driven to assault narrow sections in multiple directions simultaneously.
• On December 23, South Korean intelligence services reported that North Korean troops had lost over 1,000 personnel in the war against Ukraine.
• On December 26, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine reported that North Korean soldiers continue to suffer losses in Kursk Oblast and lack drinking water.
• On December 27, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that North Korean soldiers are killing their fellow soldiers on the battlefield.