"North Korean Soldiers, We Will Help"… Defector Group's Open Letter to Ukraine

Lee Min-bok, Representative of the Movement to Directly Help North Korean Compatriots, Releases Open Letter
"I Know North Korean Mercenaries Better Than Anyone"
"I Just Want to Help Compatriots Forced to Be Cannon Fodder"

A video released by the Strategic Communication and Information Security Center (SPRAVDI) under the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, showing soldiers presumed to be North Korean troops lining up to receive Russian supplies. [Source=Yonhap News]

As news of North Korean troops being dispatched to Russia emerged, defectors expressed concerns, while a defector organization revealed a letter sent to Ukrainian authorities offering to assist the deployed North Korean soldiers.

On the 27th, Lee Min-bok, head of the Direct Aid Movement for North Korean Compatriots, posted an open letter titled "Ukraine! Please Accept Us" on his social media account. He began by saying, "The only way to directly help our compatriots in North Korea, where radios and the internet are prohibited, was through balloons, but now it has become possible in Ukraine as well, so I am presenting this open letter."

Lee stated, "The mere presence of defectors in Ukraine will have a significant impact on the North Korean troops. We know North Korean mercenaries better than anyone else." He added, "Our voices will deeply move the North Korean soldiers, and the leaflets we send will touch their hearts," asserting, "The mercenaries will gain hope and courage, and many will seek freedom."

He continued, "We will not call this psychological warfare, prisoner counseling, or treatment support," emphasizing, "We purely want to help our compatriots who have been forced to be cannon fodder for the three-generation hereditary rulers of North Korea. This will also be very beneficial to the Ukrainian war effort." In conclusion, he said, "We hope the Ukrainian government will accept our sincerity," and added, "I believe President Zelensky will warmly welcome this."

Earlier on the 27th, organizations such as the Defector Christian Soldiers Association, led by Pastor Shim Ju-il, a former North Korean political officer, also issued a statement titled "Defectors Want to Rush to the Ukrainian Front." They emphasized, "Defectors with military backgrounds will conduct psychological warfare against North Korean troops to save them and crush the mercenary policy," highlighting that "Defector soldiers can cause psychological disruption among North Korean special forces."