Kim Jong Un has dispatched his "special" units not to support Putin, but for his own gain.
This is stated in a piece by The Times. Professor Mark Galeotti claims that while the North Korean military is considered elite, they lack experience in real combat situations, making it unlikely they will be deployed on the front lines. The expert suggests that Russia will utilize them for rear operations, leaving the active combat role to its own soldiers.
The North Korean XI Corps, referred to as "assault," is significantly less trained than even Russian special forces, let alone Western forces such as the British SAS. These units are more disciplined than other North Korean troops; however, they lack actual combat experience.
Galeotti adds that due to poor training, North Korean soldiers are unsuitable for frontline positions—they may encounter language barriers and a higher risk of "friendly fire." According to him, the arrival of 12,000 troops is unlikely to impact the overall dynamics of combat losses: Russia loses that many soldiers every ten days.
Professor Galeotti states that Putin's alliance with North Korea increasingly appears to be a forced partnership. Russia is paying a high price for the support of its allies. Now even North Korea, which was once a global pariah, has the opportunity to dictate its terms to Russia.
Source: thetimes.