The Struggles of North Korean Soldiers Fighting Alongside Russia in Ukraine
North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces are facing significant challenges on the front lines, according to estimates from South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS). It is reported that a hundred soldiers sent to the Ukrainian front have already died in combat, with around 1,000 suffering injuries since their deployment.
The presence of 11,000 North Korean troops in the Kursk region began to see combat engagements as early as December. This troubling news was revealed by Lee Seongkwon, a member of the ruling People's Power Party (PPP), during an intelligence committee meeting in the National Assembly on Thursday. The NIS suggests that the astonishing casualty figures, especially given the limited direct combat, can be attributed to the North Korean soldiers being utilized as frontline assault forces in open terrain, which is unfamiliar to them. Additionally, these soldiers lack the means to effectively respond to drone attacks.
In related developments, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) reported that over 200 North Korean troops were transferred to a hospital near Moscow for medical treatment. However, this situation has sparked discontent among some Russian citizens. The SBU intercepted a conversation between a hospital nurse in the Moscow region and her husband, a Russian soldier fighting in Kharkiv. The nurse expressed frustration about the increasing number of North Korean soldiers being brought in for care, stating, "Yesterday, there was a train with 100 individuals, today there are 120 more. Now there are 200. And how many are left? Only God knows."
Her grievances extended to the prioritization of hospital resources for North Korean militants, as she lamented that wounded Russian soldiers were being left in poorer conditions due to special accommodations being made for their foreign counterparts. "Are these Koreans elite or something? We empty certain rooms for them. Are they privileged or what?" she complained. She also indicated a willingness to deny requests for anesthesia from North Korean soldiers if they approached her for treatment.
Moreover, the language barrier is a significant hurdle, as the North Korean soldiers have not learned Russian and cannot communicate in English either, as they are prohibited from doing so. This lack of communication adds to the frustrations expressed by the Russian nurse, who remarked on the absurdity of the situation and the confusion among the soldiers. "How are we supposed to distinguish them? It’s like we should label them with a marker on their foreheads. What a zoo! Soon, there will be no one left to talk to. They’ll just murmur something in their gibberish. It’s madness," she stated.
The situation highlights the complexities and challenges faced by North Korean troops in a conflict not of their making, revealing the dire conditions they endure while serving in a foreign military operation.
Related Sources: