North Korea has withdrawn its troops from the front line in Russia's Kursk region after suffering heavy losses, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.
Since mid-January, "there have been no signs" North Korean troops may have participated in combat operations in Kursk, the agency said, citing South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Previously, both Ukrainian and American media, including the "New York Times", also reported on the withdrawal of North Korean forces.
According to the NRS, one of the reasons for the withdrawal is likely the large number of casualties among the North Korean contingent, but they added that the analysis of available intelligence information has not yet been completed.
In the middle of last month, the NRS estimated that about 300 North Korean soldiers had died in the fighting in the Kursk region and 2,700 had been wounded.
Since the end of last year, the DPRK has provided Russia with about 12,000 soldiers to fight on its side against Ukraine.
Since then, the NRC has been working closely with Ukrainian intelligence, DPA notes.