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War in Ukraine

North Korea's Army Is Already in Europe, Learning to Fight

North Korea's Army Is Already in Europe, Learning to Fight

Thousands of North Korean soldiers are already participating in Russia's war against Ukraine. At Kim Jong Un's initiative, they have been sent to gain real combat experience—for future wars.

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Illia_ kabachynskyi
Illia Kabachynskyi
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Recently, Deputy US Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Camille Shea acknowledged that the North Korean army is gaining significant combat experience, helping Russia in its war on Ukraine. In a statement, she said:

“The DPRK is significantly benefiting from receiving Russian military equipment, technology, and experience, rendering it more capable of waging war against its neighbors. In turn, the DPRK will likely be eager to leverage these improvements to promote weapons sales and military training contracts globally.”

Initially, the United States denied that North Korean troops were sent to Russia for training or participation in combat. However, officials now confirm that Kim Jong Un’s soldiers are not just supporting Russia’s rear but actively gaining real battlefield experience.

In reality, North Korean troops have been fighting against the Ukrainian army for months, effectively operating in Europe. North Korean artillery is also present, including their M1991 systems, capable of firing powerful 170mm shells up to 60–70 kilometers. These weapons were originally designed to target Seoul.

North Korea initially sent 12,000 soldiers to Russia. After completing training at Russian military sites, they were deployed to the Kursk region, where they are actively fighting Ukrainian forces. Moreover, by the end of 2023, Pyongyang had supplied Russia with its own ballistic missiles. Along with the missiles, a North Korean technical team also traveled to Russia to oversee launches and gain experience, including operations in Ukraine.

North Korea’s losses in the war are estimated at around 3,800 killed and wounded, roughly 30% of the forces sent to Russia. However, the deployment was Kim Jong Un’s initiative, not Vladimir Putin’s, and Pyongyang appears willing to sustain such losses.

In an interview with Lex Fridman, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that North Korea could potentially send an additional 30,000–40,000 troops to Europe in the near future.

Despite decades of harsh sanctions, North Korea demonstrates the capabilities of its robust military machine. According to research, 200 North Korean military enterprises are supplying Russia with everything from footwear and uniforms to artillery shells—9 million units so far. By comparison, Ukraine’s allies are unable to produce such quantities, highlighting the complete militarization of the Russian and North Korean economies and their intent to sustain the war.

In return, North Korea receives military technology from Russia. US and South Korean intelligence sources report that these technologies are being used to develop missiles, aviation, submarines, and even nuclear weapons. Pyongyang gains this knowledge in exchange for its generous supply of artillery and ammunition.

At the same time, as North Korea gains combat experience and access to more advanced military technologies, it is developing new weapons, posing threats to its closest neighbors, such as Japan and South Korea. The inability to deter one leader (Putin and Russia) is leading to escalations by another (Kim Jong Un and North Korea) in a different region.

This is precisely what Deputy Ambassador Camille Shea warned about, confirming that North Korea is becoming better prepared for potential military conflicts with its neighbors—even as it actively fights in Europe. The only way to stop this escalation is to show that Putin can be stopped. He set the precedent for escalation and must also become an example that such actions will not succeed.

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