A former North Korean military sergeant has revealed that Pyongyang's soldiers deployed to Russia to fight in Ukraine fear capture more than death, as they are told their families will be executed if they are taken alive.
"Most soldiers will kill themselves before they're killed by the enemy. It's the biggest shame to be captured," said Ryu Seong-hyeon, a defector who spoke to ABC News. Ryu escaped to South Korea in 2019 by crossing a minefield in the demilitarized zone.
According to U.S. estimates, more than 12,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia, with reports indicating that Russian forces have also used North Korean weapons. South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported in January that around 300 North Korean soldiers had been killed and over 2,700 wounded in Ukraine. Since February, more troops have been sent to Russia's western Kursk region following intensified fighting.
In January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the capture of two North Korean soldiers—the first known instance of Pyongyang's troops being taken alive. In a video released by Ukraine, one soldier, when asked if he wished to return home, shook his head. South Korean intelligence identified the captured men as operatives of North Korea's Reconnaissance General Bureau, a key military intelligence agency.
Defectors claim that North Korean soldiers struggle to adapt to modern warfare, particularly against drones. "Before they go, they don't have any practice in how to defend against a drone or how to fight Ukrainians, that's why they just die like a dog," Ryu said. Another defector, Pak Yusung, added, "If the soldiers are captured and tell information to the enemy, their families will be punished, go to a political prison camp, or worse, they will be executed in front of the people."
South Korea's intelligence agency attributes the heavy casualties to a lack of combat training, including futile attempts to shoot at long-range drones. The agency also confirmed that North Korean soldiers have been ordered to kill themselves rather than be captured.
Despite the risks, Ryu admitted that he, too, would have wanted to be deployed if he were still in North Korea. "If I went to Ukraine, I could eat food, and I could see another country," he said, noting that many soldiers are lured by financial incentives but are unaware of their slim chances of survival.
Selling Lies and Seeking Power
Defectors claim Pyongyang manipulates its troops, telling them they are fighting against Americans. "From a young age, they're told to hate the American 'wolves,' and now they are told they are finally killing Americans," Ryu and Pak explained.
Pak, now a researcher at the North Korea Institute, warned that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is likely receiving critical military technology in exchange for manpower, which could have alarming consequences. "If Russia wins the war, it will empower the dictator alliance," he cautioned. "This is just the start. If the Ukraine war keeps going, Kim will keep sending soldiers."
When asked how North Koreans might react to rising casualties, Pak suggested it could threaten Kim's regime. "Think about it: your sons died on the battlefield and not for your own country," he said. "You cannot send so many people to the labor camps."
Pak and his team, Voices of North Korean Youth, are urging the international community to condemn Russia and North Korea and are calling on the International Criminal Court to hold Kim accountable for his actions.
