A Ukraine military monitoring group has alleged that North Korean soldiers have been deployed to the frontlines as human shields, leading to significant casualties.
On Jan. 12, Ukrainian military-focused outlet Defense Express reported that InformNapalm, a pro-Ukraine international group, released a video showing about 20 bodies of alleged North Korean soldiers lying in a field in Russia’s Kursk region. InformNapalm stated that the footage was provided by Ukrainian forces operating in the area and depicted the aftermath of a battle. The group noted that the North Korean troops had faced a heavy defeat with significant losses.
The video, reportedly captured by a drone, shows bodies lying in what appears to be a military encampment or defensive position. Most of the faces were obscured, making it difficult to identify the individuals.
InformNapalm claimed that Russian military commanders have been deploying North Korean troops ahead of their own forces in infantry assaults, effectively using them as expendable soldiers in attacks on Ukrainian positions. There have been similar reports suggesting that Russia has been stationing North Korean soldiers at the frontlines to minimize casualties among its own troops.
In mid-December last year, footage surfaced showing what were believed to be the bodies of North Korean soldiers after a large-scale battle in the Kursk region. Ukrainian media outlets, including Ukrainska Pravda, reported that Ukrainian forces engaged a mixed unit of Russian and North Korean troops on Dec. 15. Drone footage from that battle showed Russian troops recovering bodies, and the video was later leaked through military-focused Telegram channels.
On Jan. 13, S. Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported that approximately 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded in the Kursk region. The NIS estimated that around 300 have died, while another 2,700 have been injured. With an estimated 12,000 North Korean troops deployed to Russia, nearly 30% of them have been rendered combat ineffective.
The NIS attributed the high casualty rate to outdated tactics, such as direct assaults without drone targeting or artillery support. These methods, combined with the way Russian forces have utilized North Korean troops, were cited as key reasons for the heavy losses.
A notebook recovered from a fallen North Korean soldier revealed instructions from Pyongyang ordering troops to commit suicide rather than be captured. The notebook also included personal notes reflecting the soldier’s hopes for forgiveness and a better future.
The NIS also reported an incident where a North Korean soldier, on the brink of being captured by Ukrainian forces, attempted to detonate a grenade while shouting “General Kim Jong-un.” The soldier was killed before he could complete the act.
