Despite their elite status, North Korea's "Storm" troops were ill-prepared for the war, South Korea's National Intelligence Service said.

For years, North Korea’s military has helped its leader, Kim Jong-un, keep control of his people and provide a buffer against the country’s sworn enemy, South Korea. With 1.3 million members, the North’s army is among the world’s largest conventional armed forces.

South Korea's military has said that North Korea is preparing to continue aiding Russia in its war with Ukraine, despite casualties.

North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia were given fake military documents with Russian names and birthplaces, the Ukrainian military said, amid claims from Kyiv that Russia is trying to conceal the presence of foreign fighters on the battlefield.

"Through various sources of information and intelligence, we assess that North Korean troops who have recently engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces have suffered around 1,100 casualties," the JCS said in a statement.

In Trump-led armistice talks, the Hermit Kingdom may want a seat at the table.

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In Russia, near the town of Tyumen, a rail shipment of heavy equipment from North Korea was spotted, including M-1989 "Koksan" howitzers and launchers with ballistic missiles. This is part of what Kim Jong Un's regime supplies to Russia.

North Korea’s elite troops have faced severe losses in Russia's war with Ukraine, with South Korean intelligence reporting more than 1,100 killed or injured in recent weeks and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy estimating the toll at more than 3,

Russia's available manpower is estimated at a staggering 69.4 million, overshadowing Ukraine's 22.8 million, highlighting the stark difference in their resources.