According to South Korea’s intelligence agency, North Korean casualties assisting Russia “have exceeded 3,000.”

A South Korean lawmaker said about 300 North Korean soldiers were killed in Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Lee Seong-kweun told reporters on Monday after being briefed by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) in Seoul that in addition to the 300 dead, about “2,700 people were injured.”

“It has been reported that North Korea’s military deployment to Russia has expanded to the Kursk region, and it is estimated that the number of North Korean military casualties has exceeded 3,000,” Lee said.

The lawmaker added that the National Intelligence Service’s analysis also showed that North Korean soldiers “lacked understanding of modern warfare” and were used by Russia in a way that resulted in “massive casualties.”

The South Korean politician’s statement comes days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kiev had Capture two North Korean soldiersposted a video of the wounded warrior being interrogated.

Zelensky said Kiev was “ready to hand over” captured North Korean soldiers in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war being held in Russia.

Seoul has previously claimed that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent more than 10,000 soldiers as “cannon fodder” to help Moscow fight Kiev in exchange for Russian technical assistance for Pyongyang’s heavily sanctioned weapons and satellite programs.

Russia has neither confirmed nor denied their existence.

No desire to betray

The National Intelligence Service said the two captured soldiers had not requested to defect or resettle in South Korea, according to two lawmakers who attended Monday’s briefing.

The agency said it was willing to discuss the matter with Ukrainian authorities if the soldiers did ultimately request travel to South Korea.

About 34,000 North Koreans have defected to capitalist rival South Korea to avoid economic hardship and political repression at home, mostly since the late 1990s.

Koo Byung-sam, spokesman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said providing asylum to North Korean soldiers requires “legal review, including international law, and consultations with relevant countries.”

“We have nothing to say at this stage,” Gu said.

Additionally, Lee said the soldiers, reportedly from North Korea’s elite Storm Regiment, had been ordered to commit suicide rather than be captured.

“Notably, memos found on the deceased soldiers indicate that North Korean authorities forced them to commit suicide or blow themselves up before being captured,” he said.

He added that some soldiers had received “amnesty” or wanted to join North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, hoping to improve their lot by fighting.

A North Korean soldier who was about to be captured shouted “General Kim Jong Un” and tried to detonate a grenade, Lee said, adding that he was shot dead.