In a surprising twist in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, nearly 200 North Korean defectors have expressed their willingness to join Ukraine’s fight against Russia, just as North Korean troops reportedly draw closer to the frontlines in southern Russia. This unprecedented move comes amid revelations that North Korea is supplying thousands of troops to aid Russian forces in the conflict.
Ahn Chan-il, a 69-year-old North Korean defector and military veteran, stated, “We are all military veterans who understand North Korea’s military culture and psychological state better than anyone else.” The group, all defectors with years of military experience under North Korea’s mandatory service, has voiced its readiness to counter their former comrades in what is becoming an increasingly complex international conflict.
According to reports from South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence, between 10,000 and 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to support Russia. These troops, who appear to be wearing Russian uniforms and using Russian-made weapons, have allegedly been trained specifically for this mission, according to Seoul’s intelligence agency.
In a statement that raises international concern, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said, “A portion of those soldiers have already moved closer to Ukraine,” adding that the U.S. is “increasingly concerned” about North Korea’s role in bolstering Russian forces along Ukraine’s borders. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also noted on Monday that these North Korean units had already been stationed in Russia’s Kursk region, a zone that has been a flashpoint of aggression between Ukrainian and Russian forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who recently spoke with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, confirmed the presence of approximately 3,000 North Korean fighters on Russian soil near the war zone. The Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) also detected North Korean troops in the Kursk region just last week, further confirming suspicions of their involvement in the battlefield.
For North Korean defectors like Lee Min-bok, this situation hits close to home. Lee, a fellow defector, has reportedly appealed to Ukrainian authorities to allow him to help North Korean soldiers defect and avoid “dying senselessly on foreign soil.” To discourage North Korean soldiers from fighting, Ukraine has even extended its hotline for Russian troops willing to surrender to include an appeal to North Koreans, urging them to seek safety rather than face a bleak fate in combat.
The political situation on the Korean Peninsula has become increasingly volatile as North Korea’s close ties with Russia deepen. Pyongyang’s Foreign Minister, Choe Son Hui, embarked on an official visit to Moscow on Monday, signaling a deepening alliance between Russia and North Korea that could have dangerous implications for the conflict and beyond. This visit is accompanied by worries from South Korean officials that Russia may be aiding North Korea’s weapons program in exchange for the military support that North Korea is now lending against Ukraine.
For the North Korean defectors, however, this is personal. Ahn Chan-il and his group believe that their intimate knowledge of North Korean military tactics could be invaluable in countering North Korean forces on the battlefield. “We’re ready to go wherever needed to work as psychological warfare agents—through loudspeaker broadcasts, distributing leaflets, and even acting as interpreters,” Ahn explained. For these defectors, it is a chance to fight against the oppressive regime they fled and to support a free Ukraine, a goal they see as aligned with their pursuit of justice and freedom.
With these developments, the question remains: How will the involvement of North Korean troops impact the future of the Ukraine-Russia war? And could the actions of defectors like Ahn Chan-il shift the momentum in this high-stakes battle?
Sources for this article include the South China Morning Post, Pentagon briefings, and South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence reports.
