The launch event came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Seoul for talks with South Korean allies over the North Korean nuclear threat and other issues.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that several “seriously wounded” North Korean soldiers died from their injuries after being captured by Ukrainian forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said there have been over 3,000 North Korean casualties in Kursk. South Korea reported over 1,000 casualties last week. Newsweek has not verified either figure. Neither Pyongyang nor Moscow has acknowledged the presence of North Korean troops in Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Monday more than 3,000 troops from North Korea have been killed so far fighting next to Russian forces.

There are risks of North Korea sending additional troops and military equipment to the Russian army,” Zelensky said. “We will have tangible responses to this.”

A North Korean soldier who was captured while fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine has died of his wounds, South Korea's spy agency said on Friday. "It has been confirmed through an allied intelligence agency that the North Korean soldier captured alive on December 26th has just passed away due to worsening wounds," the NIS said in a statement.

"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.

During a five-day plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party, Kim called the U.S. “the most reactionary state that regards anti-communism as its invariable state policy.”

The Naval News portal has analyzed photos showing progress on a new warship under construction in North Korea. It has been noted that this design strongly resembles one of the Russian frigates. There are suggestions that North Korea is building the ship based on technologies provided by Russia as compensation for assistance in the war in Ukraine.

The Naval News portal analyzed photos showing progress on a new ship being built in North Korea. It was noted that this design closely resembles one of the Russian frigates. There are suggestions that North Korea is constructing the ship based on technology transferred by Russia as compensation for aid in the war in Ukraine.

North Korean troops have now entered Russia’s war with Ukraine in a major way, and some have been killed, Western officials say.