North Korean Defectors Speak Out on Troops Sent to Fight in Ukraine for Russia

SEOUL, South Korea – The deployment of North Korean soldiers to fight in the ongoing war in Ukraine has raised questions and concerns, particularly among defectors who have lived through the military experience in the reclusive, commun[ist-ruled country. These defectors shed light on the mindset, training, and conditions faced by their former comrades, as well as the unsettling notion of their involvement in a foreign conflict.

Despair and Duty

One such defector is Lee Chul Eun, a 38-year-old former soldier now residing in South Korea. Lee expressed his devastation upon witnessing North Korean troops being sent to fight for a foreign land, describing them as "cannon fodder on the front lines." The North Korean soldiers are not only forsaking their youth but are also being sent to a land that is not their own, raising ethical concerns about their deployment.

Lee's sentiments were echoed by others who had escaped the clutches of the North Korean regime. The defectors conveyed their deep dismay at seeing fellow countrymen being treated as expendable assets in a conflict that is not their own. These soldiers, according to the defectors, are being sent to the front lines with little regard for their well-being, much less for the lives they are expected to sacrifice.

Unfathomable Sacrifices

Recent developments revealed the capture of North Korean soldiers by Ukrainian forces. Images and videos surfaced, depicting soldiers with visible injuries and evidence of their suffering. This development prompted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to announce their apprehension, asserting that these soldiers served as undeniable proof of North Korea's involvement in the conflict, marking a significant escalation in an already protracted war.

Reports suggest that over 11,000 North Korean troops are currently engaged in combat in the Russian region of Kursk, as stated by U.S. and allied sources. This figure stands in stark contrast to the lack of acknowledgment from both Moscow and Pyongyang about the reported troop deployment. The silence from both sides raises questions about the nature of North Korea's role in the conflict and the motivations behind their involvement.

Capturing a North Korean soldier is reportedly no easy feat, as highlighted by Ryu Sung Hyu, a defector who formerly served in the North Korean military. The soldiers are indoctrinated with the belief of self-preservation at all costs, even if it means using their last bullet to avoid capture. This training and indoctrination pose significant challenges for those attempting to apprehend North Korean soldiers in the field.

High Casualty Rates

As per South Korea's National Intelligence Service, it was revealed that North Korea is reportedly preparing to dispatch additional troops to Russia. This decision comes in the wake of around 300 North Korean soldiers being killed and approximately 2,700 others sustaining injuries. The high casualty rates have been attributed to the soldiers' lack of understanding of modern warfare and the manner in which they were deployed by Russia, as reported by South Korean lawmakers.

A Desperate Ultimatum

The defectors articulated their concern over North Korean soldiers being deployed to fulfill a dual purpose – to alleviate the country's dire foreign currency shortage resulting from UN sanctions imposed due to its weapons programs, and to glean valuable experience for the North Korean military, which has not engaged in overseas operations since the Vietnam War. These deployments, as highlighted by Dorothy Camille Shea, the deputy U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, not only bolster North Korea's military capabilities but also pose a potential threat to neighboring nations.

Mercenaries, not Soldiers

According to Lee, the defectors recount, the North Korean troops were sent to Russia wearing Russian military uniforms and wielding Russian-made weapons, accompanied by forged identification documents. This practice of deploying troops as mercenaries rather than as formal soldiers raises significant ethical concerns and highlights the lack of transparency in the deployment of North Korean personnel in foreign conflicts.

The defectors further disclosed that the North Korean soldiers, despite receiving provisions for sustenance and clothing, are effectively unpaid, enduring hunger as their predominant adversary. The soldiers, similar to the general population of North Korea, are grappling with malnutrition and exposure to food shortages, compounded by the regime's prioritization of its weapons programs over addressing basic needs.

Psychological Warfare

In an effort to sway the North Korean soldiers to reconsider their participation in the conflict and seek freedom instead, the defectors have initiated a campaign of psychological warfare. Through platforms like YouTube and leaflets, they aim to convey messages to the North Korean troops, urging them to avert futile deaths and instead pursue the prospect of liberation from the oppressive regime they escaped.

Hopes for Liberation

The defectors, bearing witness to the mounting casualties among North Korean soldiers in the foreign conflict, harbor hopes that these soldiers will seize the opportunity to seek freedom much like they did. The defectors underscore that exposure to life beyond the confines of the oppressive system in North Korea can engender a yearning for freedom and a rejection of the oppressive regime. They contend that the prospect of liberation from the confines of the North Korean dictatorship would be an irresistible lure for those soldiers.

Valuable Intelligence

Beyond the prospect of seeking freedom, the defectors believe that their experiences and knowledge acquired during their time in the North Korean military could provide valuable intelligence regarding the North Korean military's strategies and capabilities. These could potentially debunk the exaggerated claims made by the North Korean government regarding its military prowess.

Emotional Turmoil

As the defectors watch the toll of the foreign conflict on their fellow North Korean soldiers, they are afflicted with a mix of sorrow and empathy. The realization that their former comrades did not anticipate the perilous circumstances they would find themselves in evokes a profound sense of concern for the international standing of North Korea and its engagement in foreign conflicts.