North Korea has sent 12,000 troops to participate in the Ukraine-Russia war, with reports indicating that there have been 4,000 casualties. Of these, about 400 are estimated to be fatalities. Significantly, only two North Korean soldiers have been captured as prisoners of war.
According to Yoo Yong-won, a member of the People Power Party who visited Ukraine, many wounded North Korean soldiers have chosen to detonate explosives rather than be captured. This behavior is linked to intense indoctrination, wherein soldiers are led to believe that being taken prisoner equates to betraying their country.
The captured North Korean soldiers are from elite units, specifically the Reconnaissance General Bureau, and receive intense physical training. They reportedly undergo grueling sessions, such as carrying 25kg backpacks over 80 kilometers within eight hours.
The soldiers belong to two main units: the Storm Corps and the 11th Corps, both known as elite forces. Their level of training is comparable to special forces, such as South Korea’s, characterized by intense endurance and load-bearing exercises.
An expert highlighted that the indoctrination is so extensive that North Korean soldiers appear fearless, continuing to fight and even engaging in suicide attacks despite seeing their comrades fall around them. This behavior has baffled Ukrainian officials, illustrating the profound impact of North Korea’s mental conditioning on its troops.