The Ukrainian military has begun distributing leaflets written in Korean as part of a psychological warfare campaign. The campaign is aimed at persuading North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces to surrender, a South Korean lawmaker who recently visited Kyiv said, according to the Korea Herald.
One leaflet, which Yu shared, urged: "Surrender, and live your dream in South Korea." The leaflet depicted a North Korean soldier with teary eyes, envisioning a happy family with the South Korean flag beneath it.
While Ukraine's efforts to appeal to North Korean soldiers' dreams of escaping their oppressive regime have had some success with Russian troops, the impact on North Korean forces has been less pronounced.
According to Yu, North Korean soldiers are "already thoroughly psychologically trained," which has reduced the effectiveness of the leaflets. Despite this, Ukraine has captured two North Korean soldiers as prisoners of war, both of whom expressed a willingness to defect to South Korea.
Launched in 2022 after Russia's invasion, the Ukrainian "I Want To Live" project was initially aimed at Russian soldiers who did not want to participate in the war. It is now focusing on persuading North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia to surrender, following its success in facilitating the defection of 350 Russian troops.
However, HNGN cannot independently confirm the use of the project.
Reports indicate that thousands of North Korean troops have joined Russian forces in areas like the Kursk border region. In response, a department within Ukraine's intelligence service is intensifying efforts to convince Pyongyang's soldiers to abandon the front line. Ukrainian forces are distributing leaflets in Korean, hoping to capitalize on the troops' dissatisfaction and desire for a better life.
Vitaliy Matvienko, a volunteer with the project, explained, "Not everyone wants to fight. We know very well the living conditions in North Korea. Therefore, many may see it as a chance to escape the regime and go to another country."
Estimates suggest that around 10,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed in Russia's Kursk border region, and Ukrainian authorities have confirmed that these troops have already participated in combat against Ukrainian forces.
