200 North Korean Defectors Seek Deployment to Ukraine to Counter Comrades Supporting Russia

A group of nearly 200 North Korean military defectors, now living in South Korea, has proposed deploying to Ukraine to conduct psychological operations aimed at dissuading North Korean soldiers reportedly sent to support Russia.

According to an report by the South China Morning Post, these former soldiers believe their presence in Ukraine could undermine morale among their former compatriots, with the goal of persuading some to defect.

Lee Min-bok, one of the initiative’s leaders and a North Korean defector since 1995, directly petitioned Ukraine’s embassy in Seoul, appealing for permission to assist Ukraine’s forces in counteracting North Korean military involvement. He emphasized that his group’s purpose is solely to provide support as volunteers, contrasting this with the “mercenary” role he claims North Korean troops are playing. “Simply our presence could impact the morale of North Korean troops,” Lee said.

Ahn Chan-il, a member of the group and head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies, highlighted their advantage in understanding North Korean military culture. “We’re ready to go wherever needed to work as psychological warfare agents — through loudspeaker broadcasts, distributing leaflets, and even acting as interpreters,” Ahn stated.

President Yoon Suk-yeol recently hinted that Seoul could reconsider its longstanding ban on sending lethal aid to active war zones should North Korea’s collaboration with Russia deepen. South Korean law currently restricts arms exports to such regions.

Reports from South Korean intelligence indicate that North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia may suffer from inadequate provisions and poor nutrition, suggesting potential vulnerabilities that psychological operations could exploit. Ahn, who defected in 1979, added that exposure to conditions in Ukraine might inspire North Korean soldiers to consider defection. According to Ahn, the defectors aim to use their understanding of the North Korean military system to persuade troops to “seek freedom.”

The proposal, however, has drawn mixed responses. Wi Sung-lac, a former South Korean ambassador to Russia, cautioned that the deployment of defectors could create complex diplomatic issues if any were to be captured by Russian forces. Additionally, President Yoon has indicated that Seoul would respond actively if North Korean troops were indeed deployed to Russia, signaling that South Korea may consider directly supplying defensive systems to Ukraine.

Earlier reports indicated that Russia is forming a special battalion of approximately 3,000 North Korean citizens to participate in combat operations against Ukraine.

However, recent information has emerged that 18 North Korean soldiers have fled from their positions near the border between the Bryansk and Kursk regions, just 7 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

On October 14, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy referenced intelligence reports indicating North Korea’s de facto involvement in the ongoing war, after reports had emerged indicating that more than 20 soldiers were killed near Donetsk due to a missile strike on October 3, including six North Korean officers.