Exploited and abandoned: North Korean troops in Ukraine
As the war in Ukraine drags on, one group seems to be overlooked: the North Korean soldiers who have apparently been sent to fight without knowledge or consent. South Korean academic Kang Jun-young says the international community cannot ignore their situation.
US President Donald Trump is currently mediating the Russia-Ukraine war, which is entering its fourth year. The world is waiting to see just how the war will end or reach a ceasefire. Ukraine and other European countries are opposed to Trump’s pursuit of a settlement that reportedly reflects Russian positions, achieved through dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Furthermore, the meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House ended unhappily following an argument. Although Zelenskyy expressed his willingness to continue negotiations shortly thereafter, it is challenging to reach a mutually agreeable ceasefire plan, raising serious concerns about whether the war will end.
... around 4,000 of the initial 11,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia had already been killed or wounded.
Lives lost
However, there is something more important than ending the war or reaching a ceasefire. South Korea, still grappling with the legacy of division since the Korean War in 1950, is particularly concerned about the dire human rights situation faced by North Korean troops inexplicably dispatched to the Russia-Ukraine battlefield by Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
What is certain is that these young North Korean soldiers who have become direct victims of war crimes are essentially citizens of the Republic of Korea (ROK) too. Article 3 of the Constitution of the ROK explicitly states: “The territory of the Republic of Korea shall consist of the Korean peninsula and its adjacent islands.” These North Korean soldiers are thus residents of the ROK, and therefore fall under the protection of the South Korean government.
It is estimated that over 10,000 North Korean troops — mostly young North Koreans in their early 20s — have been deployed to Russia. Andriy Chernyak, a spokesman for the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, once revealed that around 4,000 of the initial 11,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia had already been killed or wounded. Yet, North Korea is still preoccupied with showcasing its nuclear capabilities, and appears pleased with gaining combat experience for its troops and acquiring foreign currency.
Of course, this money will not land in the hands of the deployed soldiers. Generally, North Korean labourers working abroad only take home 5% to 10% of their local wages, with the remainder going into the pockets of the Kim Jong Un regime.
Kim’s human commodities?
According to the report “Putin’s Partner” issued by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in October 2024, North Korea has supplied between US$1.7 billion and US$5.5 billion worth of weapons to Russia since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022. It was also understood that each North Korean soldier deployed to Russia receives around US$2,000 per month from Moscow, which amounts to a whopping US$143 million to $572 million in additional income per year for the North Korean nation. This is essentially trading precious lives for money in utter disregard for human life.
Of course, this money will not land in the hands of the deployed soldiers. Generally, North Korean labourers working abroad only take home 5% to 10% of their local wages, with the remainder going into the pockets of the Kim Jong Un regime. It is widely known that these funds are used for nuclear weapons and missile development, and to prop up Kim Jong Un’s rule.
But the more serious problem is that Kim Jong Un dispatched these troops under the guise of training — soldiers are deployed to the front lines with false identification documents and abandoned on the battlefield. This is a grave war crime, constituting a gross violation of human rights.
According to people familiar with the matter, North Korea has continued to deny its troop deployments, and even remained silent on Russia’s request to repatriate the bodies of North Korean troops killed in action, which is extremely irresponsible and barbaric.
Abandoned and exploited
It is widely asserted that North Korean troops are being used as test subjects for various weapons and as a shield for Russian forces on the Ukrainian battlefield. Prior to this, while the human rights violations of North Korean troops by Russian and North Korean authorities have sparked international outrage, concrete evidence has been lacking. The dire situation faced by North Korean troops only surfaced recently after captured soldiers revealed their plight.
... some intelligence reports claimed that captured North Korean soldiers had committed suicide for fear of reprisals against their families.
According to foreign media and South Korean intelligence, the North Korean troops admitted that they were unaware of their impending deployment to the battlefield during their service, and were only told that they were going to participate in simulated combat drills. There was no mention of deployment, and they were sent to Russia without their consent. This clearly highlights the deceptive and inhumane nature of Kim Jong Un’s troop deployment.
A considerable amount of objective evidence has now emerged. For example, videos and photos on YouTube appear to show Russian armoured vehicles abandoning North Korean troops in exposed positions. Furthermore, some intelligence reports claimed that captured North Korean soldiers had committed suicide for fear of reprisals against their families. In fact, many North Korean troops blew themselves up to avoid capture.
They are like those imprisoned in North Korea’s notorious political prisons, or trafficked women — victims of human rights violations, albeit abandoned and exploited in a different manner. They should not be on the Ukrainian battlefield; they have no reason to fight this war that is not their own.
If large-scale casualties occur among North Koreans on the Russian front lines, it will likely increase anxiety among military families and the masses, fuelling discontent with the North Korean regime.
Rescue North Korean soldiers
In fact, the deployment of North Korean troops could backfire in several ways, including eroding domestic support, weakening internal control, and intensifying international isolation and sanctions. If large-scale casualties occur among North Koreans on the Russian front lines, it will likely increase anxiety among military families and the masses, fuelling discontent with the North Korean regime. At the same time, this would also reinforce North Korea’s image as an “inhumane regime” in international society, reducing the Kim Jong Un regime’s chances of receiving economic and diplomatic support, and leading to further isolation.
As further negotiations are occurring among the US, Russia and Ukraine, Kim Jong Un is conducting a second troop deployment — it is clear that North Korea still hopes to make more financial gains by sacrificing its young soldiers.
We must never forget that North Korean troops are also residents of the global village, individuals entitled to human rights. The international community cannot remain silent amid such inhumane violations of human rights perpetrated by the Kim Jong Un regime; that would be tantamount to condoning North Korea’s human rights abuse.
We firmly believe that justice will ultimately prevail, but it cannot come at the cost of the lives of innocent young North Korean soldiers. The South Korean government and international society should participate in efforts to rescue these North Korean soldiers. This is a sacred responsibility that the international community cannot forsake.
This article was first published in Lianhe Zaobao as “国际应关注俄乌战场被抛弃的朝军人权”.
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