North Korean soldiers are likely fighting in Ukraine alongside Russian troops, with some believed already killed and more expected to be deployed, Seoul's defence minister said Tuesday.

South Korea’s defense chief also corroborated Ukrainian media reports that North Korean soldiers have been killed by Kyiv's troops as they fend off Putin's aggression. “We believe there have been injuries and fatalities among North Korean troops in Ukraine,” he said.

"As Russia and North Korea have signed a mutual treaty akin to a military alliance, the possibility of such a deployment is highly likely," South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-Hyun said in the parliament.