South Korea's military said on Monday it has detected signs of North Korea preparing to send more troops and weapons, including suicide drones, to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

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

"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.

North Korea and Russia are deepening their military cooperation, as Pyongyang ramps up the supply of arms to Moscow for its war in Ukraine and receives much needed cash and oil from the Kremlin in return.

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.”

Against the backdrop of nearly 11 years of total war in Ukraine, Russia and North Korea are increasing military cooperation into a full military defense

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Monday said at least 100 North Korean soldiers have died while another 1,000 suffered injuries in the bordering Kursk region, where Moscow's forces have been battling a Ukrainian ground incursion since August.

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

At least one person killed and six wounded as Putin launches more than 70 missiles at Ukraine on Christmas Day

North Korea has supplied Russia with thousands of troops to fight against Ukraine, intelligence officials said, but old footage that has resurfaced on social media does not show the funeral of a general deployed by Pyongyang to lead its troops in the ongoing invasion.

North Korea’s involvement could not only prompt a more direct South Korean involvement but may also accelerate decisions regarding intervention in various European capitals.