Thousands of North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Russia to assist in the ongoing conflict between Russian and Ukrainian forces, sparking international attention. Meanwhile, a group of nearly 200 North Korean defectors living in South Korea are also mobilizing to travel to Ukraine in order to engage in psychological warfare against their former comrades.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post on October 29, these retired North Korean soldiers each possess 7 to 10 years of military experience. They aim to leverage their military background and intimate knowledge of the North Korean military’s internal workings to exploit the psychological vulnerabilities of their fellow soldiers deployed to Ukraine, disrupting and undermining their morale.
“We are all veterans, and understand North Korean military culture and psychological state better than anyone else,” said Ahn Chan-il, a 69-year-old defector and member of the group, in an interview with “This Week in Asia” of the South China Morning Post.
Ahn Chan-il, director of the World Institute for North Korean Studies and a defector himself, highlighted that the group of defected soldiers is prepared and ready for deployment. He is also an honorary professor at the Open Cyber University of Korea.
“We are ready to go wherever needed, whether it’s through broadcasting via loudspeakers, distributing flyers, or even acting as translators and psychological warfare operatives,” he stated.
Another key figure in this initiative, Lee Min-bok, has directly approached the Ukrainian government. He has sent an open letter to the Ukrainian embassy in Seoul, urging President Zelensky to allow assistance in rescuing what he refers to as the “cannon fodder” North Korean soldiers aiding Russia.
On Monday, October 28, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh confirmed that around ten thousand North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia for training, with some already en route to the Russia-Ukraine border.
Singh expressed growing concern, saying, “We are increasingly worried that Russia intends to deploy these soldiers to the battlefield or to support the fight against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region of Russia.”
“If we see the North Korean troops continuing to the front lines, they will become common provocateurs in this conflict… If they engage, they are fighting against Ukrainians defending their own territory, and we have pledged to continue supporting Ukraine at all costs,” Singh stated.
She emphasized that this is a factor the North Korean government must consider when making decisions.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated that in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, over 600,000 Russian soldiers have been casualties, and without external support, Russia may be unable to sustain its advances against Ukraine.
The Kremlin has refuted reports of North Korean troop deployment, but Russian President Putin did not deny the presence of North Korean soldiers within Russia, stating that how to execute the terms of the partnership treaty with North Korea is Russia’s prerogative.