Ukraine has confirmed that 2,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to support Russia in the ongoing war have joined Russian military units and are actively participating in combat on the frontlines.
The announcement was made on December 3 by Andriy Chernyak, a representative of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), during a radio interview.
According to Chernyak, the North Korean troops are assigned to Russian marine brigades and airborne divisions, while an additional 9,000 North Korean soldiers remain in reserve.
“While they may not be on the frontlines, they are nonetheless supporting Russia’s aggression and contributing to the deaths of Ukrainian soldiers,” Chernyak emphasized.
HUR reported that the North Korean forces are under the command of three generals. “They are maintaining strict secrecy, receiving the highest level of protection, and are training in isolated camps out of public view,” Chernyak said.
In October, Ukrainian authorities publicly identified three senior North Korean generals who accompanied the troops to Russia: Kim Yong-bok, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army; Ri Chang-ho, Director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau; and Shin Kum-chol, a major general in the People’s Army.
Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Western officials, that a senior North Korean general was injured in a British Storm Shadow missile strike in Russia’s Kursk region. The identity and condition of the injured general remain unknown.
Separately, Ukrainian Chief of Staff Anatoliy Barilevich disclosed that over 11,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed in Kursk, with some engaging in combat with Ukrainian forces.
In a press briefing held at the Pentagon, U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder addressed questions regarding North Korean troops’ involvement in frontline combat operations. “To this point, we have not seen North Korean soldiers actively engaging in offensive combat operations on the front lines,” Ryder said.
Ryder confirmed reports that North Korean forces have integrated into Russian military units and sustained casualties during Ukrainian airstrikes on Russian facilities. However, he declined to provide specific casualty figures. He added that it remains a distinct possibility that North Korean troops could become involved in offensive combat operations in the future.
BY YOUNGHYE HAN, YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
