A group of almost 200 ex-North Korean soldiers asked to be deployed in Ukraine to help demoralize and influence Pyongyang's troops joining the war on Russia's side, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Oct. 28.
Kyiv, Seoul, and the Western countries accused North Korea of sending thousands of troops to aid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.
According to Ukraine, Moscow is preparing to deploy 12,000 North Korean soldiers as a boost to its war effort. The first batch should reportedly be deployed in Kursk Oblast, a Russian border region partially held by Ukrainian forces.
In response to the reports, a group of North Korean defectors living in South Korea offered their experience with the North Korean military to help wage psychological warfare against Moscow's allies, the South China Morning Post writes.
"North Korean soldiers are there essentially as mercenaries, but we would go as volunteers with a goodwill mission," said Lee Min-bok, one of the initiative's key figures who posted an appeal for deployment to the Ukrainian Embassy in Seoul.
"Simply our presence in Ukraine could significantly impact the morale of North Korean troops," Lee noted, saying that North Korean troops are treated as "cannon fodder."
"North Korean soldiers could find hope and courage in our presence in Ukraine, inspiring them to cross over in search of freedom."
Russia has employed the tactics of mass infantry attacks in Ukraine, overwhelming Ukrainian defenders at the cost of extremely high casualty rates. Seeking to avoid a full mobilization, the Kremlin has sought fresh manpower among convicts, migrant workers, and, most recently, North Korean allies.
"We are all military veterans who understand North Korea’s military culture and psychological state better than anyone else," said Ahn Chan-il, another member of the initiative who leads the World Institute for North Korea Studies.
"We’re ready to go wherever needed to work as psychological warfare agents – through loudspeaker broadcasts, distributing leaflets, and even acting as interpreters."
The Kyiv Independent has reached out to the Ukrainain Embassy in Seoul for comment but has not immediately received a response.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry referred the issue to the Unification Ministry, which did not comment, the South China Morning Post reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 24 indirectly acknowledged the presence of North Korean soldiers in Russia, responding to claims of satellite imagery with "if there are images, they reflect something" and citing Pyongyang's defense treaty with Moscow.
North Korea's Foreign Ministry said on Oct. 25 that any decision to send troops to Russia would comply with international law but did not explicitly confirm the reports.
On Oct. 24, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said that the country could review its ban on supplying lethal arms to Ukraine in light of "North Korean military activities."
South Korean law prohibits the exporting of weapons to active conflict zones, but Seoul has repeatedly hinted that this could change in light of deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
Tensions between Pyongyang and Seoul have been rising parallel to Russia's war in Ukraine. Recently, the North Korean government declared South Korea a hostile state and blew up two major roads connecting it to the southern part of the peninsula.
Dmytro Basmat
(Updated: )
