Nearly 200 North Korean defectors who live in South Korea, many with military backgrounds, seek to deploy to Ukraine to launch a psychological warfare campaign against Pyongyang’s troops reported to have deployed to Russia, according to the South China Morning Post.
The group, composed of ex-soldiers with up to 10 years of military experience, are prepared to exploit their insider knowledge of North Korean military culture to disrupt and demoralize Kim Jong-un’s troops.
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“We are veterans who understand North Korea’s military mindset better than anyone,” said Ahn Chan-il, a defector and head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies.
He expressed the group’s readiness to work as psyops operators, such as conducting loudspeaker broadcasts, preparing and distributing leaflets, and serving as interpreters.
According to the report, the proposal reflects the anger shared by the over 30,000 defectors from the North that now live in South Korea. They have become alarmed by Kim Jong-un’s “aggression and disregard for international law” in sending troops to aid Russia.
“As former North Korean soldiers, we are ready to go to the front, conduct psychological warfare, rescue these soldiers, and dismantle the North’s mercenary policies,” the mission’s statement said.
Drawing on their deep understanding of North Korea’s military culture, the defectors believe they can exploit weaknesses and potentially encourage North Korean troops to “turn their guns around.”
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Ahn, who defected in 1979 after being inspired by South Korean loudspeaker broadcasts and leaflets while serving as a guard on the frontlines, said the group could also persuade captured North Korean soldiers to defect if they were to fall into Ukrainian hands.
“Most North Korean soldiers, including elite special forces, suffer from food shortages and malnutrition. The soldiers you see on televised parades are a carefully selected few – they’re the alpha of the entire population,” he said.
Lee Min-bok, another leading figure in the initiative, has appealed directly to Ukraine, writing an open letter to President Volodymyr Zelensky through the Ukrainian embassy in Seoul.
“North Korean soldiers are there essentially as mercenaries, but we would go as volunteers with a goodwill mission. Simply our presence in Ukraine could significantly impact the morale of North Korean troops,” he said, expressing the hope that the Ukrainian government would welcome their offer.
The Ukrainian embassy has yet to respond, and South Korea’s foreign and unification ministries have declined to comment.
The initiative comes amid political turmoil in South Korea, following leaked Telegram messages between a senior security official and a conservative lawmaker, which hinted at possible cooperation with Ukraine targeting North Korean forces aiding Russia.
President Yoon Suk-yeol recently signaled that South Korea might reconsider its long-standing stance against providing lethal aid to conflict zones, contingent on North Korea's involvement in the war.
He stated that South Korea “will not sit idle” if North Korean troops support Russia, suggesting that Seoul may consider arming Ukraine if military collaboration between Pyongyang and Moscow escalates.
Wi Seong-gon, a military analyst, indicated that South Korea could be moving closer to supplying weapons to Ukraine, possibly focusing on defensive systems such as anti-aircraft missiles without ruling out the provision of offensive weapons such as artillery ammunition.
The Chief of Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, told The Economist on Tuesday that approximately 12,000 North Korean troops, including 500 officers and three generals, are currently deployed to Russia. According to Kyiv Post sources within HUR, North Korea is providing personnel, weapons, and equipment to Russia to help offset its significant battlefield losses.
In exchange, Russia is offering North Korea financial support and advanced technology to aid in the development and expansion of its nuclear program, Budanov said.
Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” (Хочу жить) surrender hotline, run by HUR, has urged North Korean soldiers sent to fight against Ukraine to surrender and avoid taking part in the conflict.
The deployment follows claims, made by Ukraine and South Korea in mid-October, that Pyongyang had sent troops to support Moscow’s invasion, linked to the mutual defense pact signed between Russia and North Korea in June.
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