According to reports, North Korean troops who participated in the Ukraine-Russia war were part of elite units that underwent extremely rigorous training. Military expert and People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Yong-won revealed information after visiting Ukraine and interviewing captured North Korean soldiers. He mentioned that around 12,000 North Korean soldiers were involved in the conflict, with approximately 4,000 casualties, including 400 fatalities.
Surprisingly, only two North Korean soldiers have been captured by Ukrainian forces. Yoo attributed this low capture rate to the high number of injured soldiers who chose to self-destruct rather than be captured, as they had been conditioned to believe that capture was a betrayal of their country.
Yoo met two captured North Korean soldiers, both from the Reconnaissance General Bureau. He described how North Korean forces are divided into two main groups, including the Storm Corps and the 11th Light Infantry Brigade, as well as the Reconnaissance General Bureau, all receiving intense training.
Yoo recounted meeting one of the captives, who described grueling training involving running 40 km every week and 80 km at the end of the month, carrying heavy equipment. The training was reportedly more intensive than that of South Korean special forces. Ukrainian special forces reportedly observed that North Korean soldiers showed no fear, continuing to fight and even self-destruct in the face of injury and death, indicating a high level of psychological conditioning (gaslighting) instilled in them by North Korea.