DIU explained why North Korean military personnel are participating in the war against Ukraine

DIU explained why North Korean military personnel are participating in the war against Ukraine

The North Korean military, redirected by Russia to the Kursk region where Ukraine’s Defence Forces are conducting operations, is gaining valuable experience in modern warfare there. Some of them will die, and those who return to North Korea will have combat experience.

This experience is not shared by the military of either South Korea or China. This was stated by Vadym Skibitskyi, the Deputy Head of the DIU of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, during an expert discussion entitled "Genocidal Practices of the Russian Federation in Ukraine: From Holodomor to the Russian-Ukrainian War," as reported by Ukrinform.

"The military from North Korea is gaining combat experience that neither South Korea, Japan, nor China have. Real combat experience in a real war against a strong opponent. Some of the Koreans will die, and some will return (to North Korea. – Ed.) and be ready to engage in modern combat operations," he noted.

Skibitskyi also reported that there are currently 12,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region. The total strength of North Korea’s armed forces is 1.5 million military personnel, with an army corps of 46,000.

The intelligence representative reminded that, in addition to military personnel, North Korea has provided Russia with Koksan self-propelled artillery systems and 170 mm caliber ammunition, expanding the range of weapons available to the occupying forces.