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Roughly 6000 North Korean soldiers are estimated to have been killed or wounded fighting for Russia.
A new assessment suggests North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war effort may be generating vast sums of foreign currency.
The findings point to both military cooperation and financial gains, though the full scale remains uncertain.
According to Yonhap News Agency, citing a study by the Institute for National Security Strategy, Pyongyang may have earned up to $14.4 billion by supplying troops and weapons to Russia.
Add to that the manpower, North Korea has supplied.
Tens of thousands of soldiers
The report states that more than 20,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia across four deployments since October 2024.
Revenue tied to troop deployments, including wages and compensation for casualties, is estimated at about $620 million.
If deployments continue at the same pace, annual earnings from troop contributions alone could reach roughly $560 million, Yonhap reported.
Military ties grow
Satellite imagery referenced in the study indicates that North Korea has also transferred a range of weapons to Russia, further deepening military cooperation between the two countries.
The institute calculated that between August 2023 and December 2025, North Korea generated between $7.67 billion and $14.4 billion in hard currency through its support.
However, the report noted that Pyongyang may have directly received only between 4% and 19.6% of that total. Additional benefits could include access to advanced military technology and equipment.
Casualties reported
Separately, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence agency said on Feb. 4 that North Korean troops remained stationed in Russia’s Kursk region as of January 2026.
Yonhap also reported on Feb. 13 that around 6,000 North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces had been killed or injured.
The figures underline both the scale of North Korea’s involvement and the human cost associated with its overseas deployments.
Sources: Yonhap News Agency, Institute for National Security Strategy, Ukraine Defense Intelligence
