The National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) has urged not to underestimate North Korean military personnel who will participate in the war in Ukraine alongside Russia. This is particularly relevant for American media. North Korean soldiers will gain combat experience, which will require additional resources for their elimination.
This was stated by Andriy Kovalенко, the head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation at the NSDC. According to him, American media that report on the lack of preparedness of North Korean soldiers are downplaying this issue.
"One should read less of the American media that write about this. They are artificially minimizing the problem because the mere fact of the entry of the North Korean army into the war in Europe is a downside for Western policy. They downplay it only because they do not look very strong on the geopolitical front," Kovalенко said.
He added that North Korean soldiers will learn from combat actions. Moreover, additional resources will be necessary for their destruction.
"This is well understood, for example, by representatives of South Korea. Our military also understands this. Let's not repeat the history with the 'mobiks'," the head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation urged.
Bloomberg reported that nearly 10,000 soldiers from North Korea have been sent to Russia, while Ukrainian intelligence claims that there are at least 12,000. Among them are 500 officers, including three generals from Pyongyang. Some of them are already in the combat zone, specifically in the Kursk region of Russia, where the Armed Forces of Ukraine are currently operating.
The Wall Street Journal states that the North Korean troops arriving in Russia to participate in the war against Ukraine are not the best representatives of Kim Jong-un's army. Among the fighters, there are young 20-year-olds and even teenagers. All of them are of short stature and slender build, indicating chronic malnutrition.
Additionally, high-ranking generals from North Korea may have arrived for the war in Ukraine. This is supported by South Korean intelligence data. Difficulties have arisen between the Russian and North Korean forces due to a language barrier.
It is worth noting that Zelensky and the president of South Korea have agreed to enhance intelligence sharing. They will also intensify contacts at all levels, including the highest, to develop a strategy for action and a list of countermeasures in response to escalation, as well as to involve common partners in cooperation. As a result, Ukraine and the Republic of Korea will exchange delegations soon to coordinate actions.