Nearly 200 former North Korean soldiers have applied to be sent to Ukraine, aiming to demoralize and influence North Koreans who have joined the Russian army.
After reports emerged about preparations to deploy up to 12,000 North Korean soldiers to the front lines in Ukraine and the Kursk region, defectors living in South Korea offered their assistance to Ukraine, according to the South China Morning Post.
"North Korean soldiers are essentially there as mercenaries, but we would go on a goodwill mission as volunteers," said Lee Min-bok, one of the leaders of the initiative, who submitted the proposal to the Ukrainian embassy in Seoul.
"Even just our presence in Ukraine could significantly impact the morale of North Korean troops," Lee suggested, adding that the Russian army treats North Koreans as cannon fodder.
"Our presence in Ukraine could inspire hope and courage in North Korean soldiers, potentially encouraging them to defect in search of freedom," Lee continued.
Another member of the initiative, Ahn Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korean Studies, commented: "We are all military veterans who understand North Korean military culture and psychology better than anyone else."
"We are prepared to go wherever necessary to act as psychological warfare agents – broadcasting over loudspeakers, distributing leaflets, and even serving as translators," he added.
The group's proposal reportedly reflects the shared stance of approximately 34,000 North Korean defectors residing in South Korea, many of whom are concerned about North Koreans being deployed to Russia.
Should Ukrainian forces capture North Korean soldiers, Ahn believes their group could persuade them to move to South Korea.
"Most North Korean soldiers, including elite units, suffer from food shortages and malnutrition. The soldiers you see parading on television are handpicked, the elite of the entire population," added the former military officer.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry has referred the case to the Ministry of Unification, which has not commented on the matter.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, around 12,000 North Korean soldiers have already been deployed to Russia, including three generals and 500 officers. These figures are confirmed by intelligence reports from multiple other countries.
On October 28 Forbes reported that intercepted Russian military radio communications reveal that the first North Korean troops have already arrived in the Kursk region and are being secretly moved towards a bridgehead in the Kursk region under Ukrainian Armed Forces control.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.Photo: Sakchai Lalit/AP
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on October 29 that the growing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang poses a significant global security threat.
The head of state made this statement after Washington accused North Korea of sending 10,000 soldiers to Russia for training.
“This unlawful military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a significant security threat to the international community and could pose a serious risk to our national security,” the president said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Monday that North Korea's deployment of soldiers to support Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine is a threat to global peace.
“European and East Asian security are interconnected. North Korean soldiers have been sent to support Russia’s war of aggression. This is a serious escalation in this conflict and a threat to global peace. We will respond in coordination with our like-minded partners,” von der Leyen wrote on social media following a phone conversation with the South Korean president.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in a Monday evening press conference in Iceland that there could soon be 12,000 North Korean soldiers at Ukraine’s border, according to news agencies.
“Around 3,000 North Korean soldiers and officers are already on Russian territory and are being used against us,” the Ukrainian president said.
“We believe their numbers will soon reach 12,000,” Zelensky added.
The Ukrainian president met with Nordic prime ministers on Monday at an event held in conjunction with the Nordic Council session.
Earlier in the day, the Pentagon announced that North Korea has sent approximately 10,000 soldiers to Russia for training.
“We believe that North Korea has sent around 10,000 soldiers to eastern Russia for training, who are likely to bolster Russian forces near Ukraine in the coming weeks,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / MSC
Bringing North Korean soldiers to Russia to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine indicates the desperation of the Russian regime leader, Vladimir Putin, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday.
“The deployment of North Korean soldiers to Kursk signals Putin’s growing desperation,” Rutte said at a press conference in Brussels following a meeting with South Korean intelligence officials. The NATO Secretary General added that he can confirm that North Korean units have been sent to Russia’s Kursk region.
“Deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea threatens the security of both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions,” Rutte said, urging Moscow and Pyongyang to “immediately cease their activities” and noting that NATO partners in the Indo-Pacific, including Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, have been informed.
The NATO Secretary General added that Russia has suffered over 600,000 soldiers killed or wounded since the full-scale invasion began, and the Kremlin is unable to continue the invasion without external support.
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