File photo: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, meets soldiers who took part in a training in North Korea.
As the war in Ukraine stretches into its third year, a new and unexpected contingent has joined the fray: North Korean soldiers, deployed to support Russian forces in the embattled Kursk region. The decision to send troops abroad—a first for North Korea since the Korean War—has startled analysts, shifting attention to what drives these soldiers to fight, not for their homeland, but for a distant ally. What is it about the Kim regime’s iron grip that compels young men to risk everything for a foreign war? To understand this, one must delve into the layered motivations that go beyond simple allegiance to the supreme leader.
Driving the news
- North Korea has reportedly sent thousands of troops to support Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine. Estimates range from 10,000 to 11,000 soldiers stationed in the Kursk region, where fierce combat against Ukrainian forces continues.
- The move marks an unprecedented step by North Korea, which typically refrains from deploying troops abroad for fear of defection or exposure to foreign influences.
Why it matters
- This deployment reflects a significant shift in the strategic alliance between Russia and North Korea, cemented by a mutual defense treaty signed in June 2024 by Russian President
Vladimir Putin andKim Jong Un . - While North Korean soldiers may not dramatically alter the course of the conflict due to their limited equipment and training, their presence underscores the lengths to which Pyongyang is willing to go to maintain and bolster its ties with Moscow.
- For Russia, grappling with high casualty rates and recruitment challenges, these North Korean reinforcements offer a short-term solution to manpower shortages.
The motivations behind deployment
- According to a Wall Street Journal report, insights from former North Korean soldiers provide a clearer picture of why so many troops would willingly volunteer for a war far from home. Ryu Seong-hyeon, a defector who escaped across the Korean Demilitarized Zone in 2019, described the severe conditions that shape military life in North Korea. Young soldiers like Ryu endure grueling physical labor, inadequate food, and a regimented lifestyle dominated by propaganda. “If ordered to fight with the Russians,” said Ryu, “I would have answered, ‘Thank you.’ Wouldn’t the meals be better at least?” Such remarks highlight how even meager improvements in living conditions could motivate troops to volunteer for deployment.
- Former elite soldiers also confirm that indoctrination plays a significant role. North Koreans are trained from an early age to venerate their leader and see loyalty as a virtue worth dying for. Daily drills and ideological training reinforce this mindset. Children are taught through school textbooks to prove their allegiance by volunteering for extreme scenarios, like being the target of hypothetical artillery strikes. This conditioning ensures that by the time they join the military, soldiers are prepared to undertake any mission without question, the WSJ report said.
What they’re saying
- “North Korean soldiers are convinced that they should do anything for Kim,” said Ryu, encapsulating the unwavering loyalty instilled in troops. Lee Hyun-seung, another defector and former member of the elite Storm Corps, noted that despite limited combat experience abroad, the ideological training these soldiers receive is thorough. Lee recalled constant drills and recitations affirming their willingness to sacrifice themelessves for the regime.
- “They may be sacrificed without making much impact in the war. But they wouldn’t dare cast doubt on the leader’s orders to go to Russia,” Lee told the WSJ.
- “The strength of North Korean special operations forces lies in their ability to endure harsh conditions, even when food and other resources are in short supply,” Lim Eul-chul from Kyungnam Universitym told AFP. “They have strong mental resilience.”
- This blind devotion could explain why North Korean troops seem ready to serve in Ukraine, despite uncertain prospects.
- “If Russia is having manpower issues, it will require far more North Koreans to address these challenges,” observed Mick Ryan, a retired Australian general.
- Despite their prestige, these North Korean units still suffer from significant disadvantages compared to Western or Russian elite forces. As David Maxwell, a retired US Army Special Forces colonel, put it, these soldiers are “highly disciplined” but often trained under outdated conditions with insufficient resources. Their focus has been on tasks such as infiltration and infrastructure sabotage rather than conventional warfare, leaving them at a disadvantage in modern combat scenarios.
- A telling example of the disparity lies in the equipment used by North Korean forces. State parades often showcase an array of advanced weaponry, but experts agree that these displays are largely for show. In reality, most North Korean soldiers lack modern combat gear and rely on decades-old technology. Reports suggest that the troops deployed to Russia have been equipped with Russian uniforms and trained minimally in artillery, drone operation, and trench warfare. This limited preparation highlights their role as foot soldiers rather than as a well-integrated combat unit.
Between the lines
- As per an AFP report, the commitment to deploy troops outside North Korea is unprecedented and risks exposure to ideas and practices that might unsettle Pyongyang’s tight control. “The regime is worried that soldiers from the isolated country might pick up ‘incorrect’ ideas,” wrote Fyodor Tertitskiy, a researcher at Seoul’s Kookmin University. Yet, with a mutual defense treaty now binding Russia and North Korea closer together, the gamble appears calculated. The Kim regime seeks not just economic and military benefits but also invaluable lessons on modern warfare.
- Analysts also question the strategic impact of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine. While their loyalty and resilience are beyond doubt, operational integration remains a challenge. The language barrier could hinder coordination between Russian commanders and North Korean troops, potentially compromising effectiveness on the battlefield. “While translators will be helpful, this kind of communication gap can, and will, be a problem during combat operations,” said Mick Ryan, a retired Australian general.
- Despite these hurdles, the willingness of North Korea to send more troops poses a potential long-term concern. With one of the world’s largest standing armies, estimated at 1.2 million active-duty personnel and several million more in reserves, North Korea could continue to reinforce Russia’s forces if required. This scale of potential deployment is concerning, especially when viewed against the backdrop of Russia’s attritional warfare strategy and high troop casualty rates.
Zoom in
Life in the North Korean military is marked by hardship. A World Food Program report states that around 45% of North Korea’s 26 million people are undernourished. Soldiers, despite their status, are not immune to these food shortages. Many subsist on rice mixed with corn, and meat is a rare luxury. For those deployed to Russia, the promise of more regular meals and a modest wage—around $2,000 a month, according to South Korean officials—provides substantial motivation. This figure dwarfs the average monthly income in North Korea, which is only a few dollars. Even though a large portion of this pay will go to the regime, the remainder still represents an opportunity for the soldiers and their families back home.
What’s next
- The potential ripple effects of North Korean participation in the Ukraine war extend beyond the battlefield. Sim Ju-il, a former officer who fled North Korea in 1998, suggested that those who return from deployment could gain elevated social and political status, much like the pilots who fought for North Korea during the Vietnam War. Survivors were celebrated as heroes, and even the families of those who perished were granted prestigious positions within the Workers’ Party. Such incentives reinforce the belief among North Korean soldiers that fighting abroad, even at high personal risk, is a worthwhile endeavor.
- Nevertheless, the deployment of North Korean troops to Ukraine adds a new layer of complexity to an already multifaceted conflict. While their presence might provide temporary manpower relief for Russia, questions about their operational effectiveness and the sustainability of such support persist. The ideological training and blind loyalty instilled in these troops may propel them into combat, but their impact remains uncertain. Both Russia and North Korea are gambling on a collaboration that could yield strategic gains or prove to be a costly miscalculation. The world will be watching closely to see how this unusual alliance evolves on the battlefields of Ukraine.
(With inputs from agencies)
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