North Korea has deployed additional troops to assist Russia, according to South Korean intelligence.

North Korea has apparently sent additional troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine. The number of recently deployed troops is still being assessed.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing Yonhap News.

"After nearly a month of calm, North Korean troops have been redeployed to the front-line area of Kursk starting from the first week of February," the National Intelligence Service (NIS) stated in a press release.

According to the report, "additional troops have been deployed, but their numbers are still being studied."

The assessment followed reports from South Korean media indicating that between January and February, during the second round of troop transfers, between 1,000 and 3,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to the Kursk region on Russian cargo ships and military aircraft.

After the publication of this report, South Korean military officials stated that signs have been detected suggesting that North Korea will send more than 1,000 additional soldiers to Russia this year.

It is believed that last year North Korea sent about 11,000 soldiers to the front-line area of Russia near Kursk.

Previously, the NIS estimated that North Korean troops stationed in Russia had not participated in combat operations in the Kursk region since mid-January, likely due to heavy casualties among them. The agency estimates that around 300 individuals died, with approximately 2,700 injured.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has become a key ally of Vladimir Putin in his war against Ukraine, providing ammunition and soldiers, while also raising concerns about North Korea's ability to strengthen its military and sustain its regime with Russia's support.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier stated that about 4,000 North Korean soldiers have died or been injured in the Kursk region.