“Only advance, no retreat… Adapting in their own way”
“Could be a new variable in the Ukraine war” … US defense official predicts “additional North Korean deployment expected within 2 months”
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lim Ji-woo – Observations are emerging that the North Korean soldiers, deployed to the unfamiliar Russian frontline, are adapting with their distinctive combat method of not retreating easily despite numerous casualties, becoming a new variable in the Ukraine war.
On the 22nd (local time), the New York Times (NYT) analyzed the combat patterns of North Korean soldiers dispatched to Russia by citing Ukrainian soldiers and commanders who directly fought with them, as well as multiple U.S. Department of Defense officials and military experts.
According to the report, North Korean soldiers deployed to the Russian Kursk front for the counteroffensive against Ukraine are faithfully fulfilling the role of a “human shield,” advancing into dangerous areas ahead of Russian troops to secure ground.
The North Korean soldiers reportedly attack practically unprotected after being assigned areas to assault, without the cover of combat vehicles.
Unlike the Russian soldiers, they continue to advance without halt or retreat, even under severe attack, according to Ukrainian soldiers and U.S. officials.
Operating in units of about 40 men, they cross mine-filled fields under intense artillery fire, advancing forward.
After successful attacks, securing the area is left to the arriving Russian reinforcements, while the North Korean soldiers prepare for the next attack, as reported.
Ukrainian soldiers and military experts, who have faced both Russian and North Korean troops, unanimously agreed that the combat methods and traits of North Korean soldiers are entirely different from those of the Russian army.
Celeste A. Wallander, former U.S. Department of Defense Assistant Secretary for International Security Affairs, explained that the Russian and North Korean armies are completely different in training methods and military culture, noting that the Russian military has not been highly evaluated in terms of combat ability or discipline despite its size.
Contrastingly, North Korean soldiers dispatched to Russia, trained as special forces for precision strike missions, follow strong motivation and discipline, reportedly fulfilling their duty with little fear of injury or death.
A recently drone-captured video by the Ukrainian army shows about 50 North Korean soldiers marching approximately 8 kilometers across a snow-covered field, assembling near a Ukrainian base.
Many were killed or injured during the move but continued to advance without pause, waiting for reinforcements, then attacked the Ukrainian base leading with 5-8 assault groups.
Ukrainian Commander Andriy said they suffered many casualties in this process but keep sending new units, stating “they only advance and advance.”
He defined them as driven by “motivation, orders, and strict discipline.”
Another Ukrainian Commander Oleksii noted that the North Koreans appear to have come “as if to die here, and they seem to recognize this fact.”
Such North Korean tactics, willingly taking risks, were also applied against Ukrainian drones, which initially troubled them when deployed.
The notebook contents retrieved from deceased North Korean soldiers reportedly revealed that they employed a “bait strategy,” where one soldier would lure the drone, and, upon stopping, another nearby soldier would shoot it down.
North Korean soldiers are incurring heavy casualties with this strategy but view such sacrifices as the cost of acquiring modern warfare techniques, as assessed by the Ukrainian army.
Ukrainian and U.S. officials told the NYT that since the deployment of North Korean soldiers in early December last year, about one-third of the 11,000 dispatched have been killed or injured, predicting that the number continues to rise.
A senior U.S. Defense Department official predicted North Korea would deploy additional troops “within the next two months” to compensate for these losses.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, the highest Ukrainian military commander, stated that nearly half of the North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia could be dead or injured but evaluated them as “highly motivated, well-trained, and brave” soldiers.
Analysis suggests that the North Korean army’s “unconditional advance” strategy, despite significant sacrifices, is proving effective on the battlefield.
Ukrainian Commander Oleksii noted that North Korean soldiers are starting to push forward the front line by targeting weakly defended areas, wearing down Ukrainian units.
He warned that North Korean soldiers are increasingly adapting to the Ukraine war in their own way and “becoming very strong” with more combat experience.