DPRK forces in Russia's Kursk region include nearly teenagers - South Korean intelligence

This was reported by Yonhap News.

"We have intelligence indicating that an advance group, including Kim En-bok, Vice Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army, is moving towards the front line, and we can confirm this. Deputy Chief Kim leads a kind of advance team for the KN-23, North Korea's version of the Iskander missile," the report stated.

NIS analysis suggests, "There are indications that North Korean troop movement to Kursk, Russia, is almost unavoidable."

However, the intelligence committee noted the difficulty in estimating exactly how many soldiers from North Korea’s 11th Army Corps (known as the Assault Corps) have actually reached the front lines.

The NIS estimates that most North Korean troops sent to Russia are in their 20s, though some are barely in their teens.

It’s emphasized that these troops have completed the fundamental combat training required for Assault Corps members, so their combat capability shouldn’t be underestimated.

According to NIS, around 4,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia this year are estimated to be earning about $800 monthly.

• U.S. Defense Department spokesperson Patrick Ryder confirmed that a small number of North Korean servicemen are already positioned in Russia’s Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine.