A rare glimpse into the mind-set of North Korean troops fighting on behalf of Russia in Ukraine has been revealed through a video clip released by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The two captured soldiers, who are among the first North Koreans to be taken alive, expressed little knowledge about the war they were sent to fight in.
The three-minute video clip, which was posted on social media platform X, showed a Ukrainian official questioning the prisoners with the help of a Korean interpreter. One soldier claimed he didn’t know where he was fighting when he was captured, while another said he was only told to “train as if we were in real combat.”
Experts say that comments from prisoners of war should be assessed in light of the power imbalance between captors and captives, with the knowledge that the prisoners may not be speaking freely. The video clip has raised concerns about the readiness of North Korean troops for modern warfare, particularly against drone attacks.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service estimates that 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed and 2,700 others wounded in battles against Ukraine. The US has put the toll even higher. Memos found with dead soldiers indicate that their government urged them to end their lives rather than be captured.
The Ukrainian leader has used the involvement of North Korean troops as a way to try and galvanize more support from allies. However, Professor Kang Dong-wan says that by exposing the face of one North Korean soldier and his wish to remain in Ukraine, the Ukrainian authorities are endangering his safety if he is sent back to North Korea.
The Seoul government has stated that it is ready to negotiate with Kyiv if any North Korean POWs want to defect to South Korea. The incident highlights the risks faced by North Korean troops who have been deployed to fight on behalf of Russia in Ukraine.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/13/world/asia/north-korea-ukraine-russia-troops.html