Predicted Acquisition of Modern Warfare Tactics Utilizing Drones
“Difficult to Utilize” vs “Aid to Troops” Divide,
Around 1.4 million youths and students across North Korea pledged to enlist or rejoin the military over two days on the 14th and 15th, with the numbers increasing daily, reported Korean Central News Agency on the 16th.,
, ‘An analysis suggests that North Korea is trying to utilize the deployment of troops to Russia, which is at war with Ukraine, as an opportunity to gain real-world combat experience. The North Korean military, which has not been engaged in full-scale warfare in over 70 years since the Korean War, is seeking to gain experience in modern warfare tactics such as drone utilization by deploying to the Ukraine battlefield for Russia.’,
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, ‘The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 16th (local time) that North Korean leaders aim to use this deployment to Russia to enhance military preparedness on the Korean Peninsula by acquiring war experience. They are expected to apply the knowledge and skills gained from the Ukraine battlefield to the Korean Peninsula.’,
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, ‘Citing South Korean security experts, the NYT analyzed that “the Ukraine war provides the North Korean military with an opportunity to test readiness for new weapons and modern warfare that they have long desired.” It also reported that “North Korea has been supplying Russia with munitions and missiles during the Ukraine war and has been seeking opportunities to receive Russian technological support in nuclear and space fields, as well as deploy laborers for rebuilding war zones.”’,
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, ‘Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a press conference in Brussels after attending the European Union (EU) Summit on the 17th, stated, “According to our intelligence, North Korea is preparing a total of 10,000 personnel, including ground troops and technicians, to assist Russia.” He added, “Some officers have already been deployed to Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia.” President Zelensky explained, “This is to compensate for significant manpower losses by Russia and to involve other countries due to unfavorable opinions on mobilization within Russia.” He mentioned that “this issue has been discussed with U.S. and EU leaders,” noting that the involvement of a second nation in the war is a serious problem.’,
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, ‘Earlier, the Ukrainian media Kyiv Post reported that 10,000 North Korean infantry are undergoing training in Russia’s Far East region, and Russia plans to deploy them to the Ukrainian border. This deployment of North Korean troops raises interest in its impact on the battlefield situation. Initially, many are skeptical. The BBC noted, “Russian forces found it challenging to utilize their own prisoners at the front,” pointing out that “While at least prisoners could speak Russian, North Korean troops neither speak the language nor have much real-war experience.”’,
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, ‘Some argue that the deployment of North Korean troops will be a significant help to Russia, which is experiencing a severe manpower shortage. According to the British Daily Telegraph, more than 1,000 Russian soldiers are being killed daily in combat due to Russia’s insistence on large-scale infantry tactics. John Foreman, a former British defense attaché in Russia, commented, “For Russia, it’s an increase in ‘cannon fodder’ for the front line.”\n’]