"North Korea Orders Ukrainian Troops to Surrender"
Claims to Be 'Korean' Speaking Fluent Korean
A video has been released showing a man claiming to be a Korean fighting for the Ukrainian military, persuading North Korean soldiers deployed in Russia to surrender.
The pro-Ukraine international civic group monitoring Russian military activities, InformNapalm, released a video featuring an Asian man on its Telegram channel on the 3rd (local time). In the 1 minute and 40 seconds video, the man introduces himself in fluent Korean as a "Korean from South Korea," stating that he voluntarily enlisted in the Ukrainian military and has been participating in the Ukraine war for three years.
A man who introduced himself as a Korean and a Ukrainian volunteer soldier is urging North Korean troops to surrender. InformNapalm capture.
He said, "Kim Jong-un (Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea), his family, and some wealthy families are still living a luxurious life. However, ordinary North Korean people are suffering from cold and hunger," adding, "You (the deployed North Korean soldiers) are being sacrificed unilaterally by them. You have absolutely no reason to live in fear, cold, and hunger."
He continued, "You have the freedom and right to create your own life," urging, "Look at the Ukrainian military, drop your weapons, raise your hands, and express your intention to surrender. We will not harm you."
The man also emphasized, "We will provide you with food, shelter, money, and jobs. Depending on your wishes, we may offer you the opportunity to seek asylum in another country," and added, "Do not become Kim Jong-un's slaves by yourselves. I hope you choose the path of liberation for your freedom."
The identity and personal details of the man in the video have not been disclosed. He partially covered his face with a yellow-brown hat and mask, making it difficult to verify whether he is an actual "Korean mercenary."
However, the Ukrainian daily Kyiv Post reported on the 4th that the man appeared to speak with a Seoul regional accent. The man spoke while standing in front of a military vehicle, a HMMWV (Humvee), which was equipped with a turret operated by the Ukrainian military, according to the Kyiv Post.
In March this year, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that 15 Koreans had participated in combat on the Ukrainian side over the past two years, with five of them killed, but South Korean authorities have neither confirmed this nor disclosed the scale of Korean mercenaries.
However, there have been cases of individuals staying in Ukraine and acting as volunteer soldiers who were later punished. YouTuber Lee Geun, a former captain of the Naval Special Warfare Group (UDT/SEAL), left for Ukraine shortly after the outbreak of the war in March 2022 and joined Ukraine's foreign unit, the Territorial Defense Forces International Brigade. He was prosecuted for violating the Passport Act and was found guilty in the first trial in August last year.
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