"North Korean Soldiers Charging Without Fear... South Korean Military Must Also Learn from Ukraine War"

Yoo Yong-won:
"North Korean Troops in Ukraine Undergo Intense Training"
"Ukrainian Special Forces Say, 'We Cannot Understand North Korean Soldiers... They Seem Fearless'"
"War in Ukraine May Continue for Several More Months"

Yoo Yong-won, a member of the People Power Party who recently visited Ukraine, stated, "The war in Ukraine is a place where advanced warfare such as drones is being realized. Also, North Korean troops are actually participating, and North Korean missiles are being used," emphasizing, "The South Korean military must observe and learn."

On the 5th, Yoo said on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' regarding the intensity of North Korean military training, "It has been reported through Ukrainian forces and foreign media that North Korean troops are physically superior," and explained, "The recently revealed North Korean prisoners of war belong to the Reconnaissance General Bureau and are elite units undergoing high-intensity training."

Yoo visited Ukraine from the 23rd to the 26th of last month after receiving an official invitation from the Ukrainian parliament and the 'Yalta European Strategy (YES) Special Meeting.' During this visit, he interviewed North Korean prisoners of war, Mr. Ri and Mr. Baek, for a total of about 1 hour and 10 minutes. In the transcript Yoo released that day, Mr. Baek said, "We learn many things, but the most emphasized is physical training. The training is so tough that it brings tears," adding, "We carry backpacks weighing 20-25 kg and run 100 ri (about 40 km) per week, and on the last day of the month, 200 ri (about 80 km), which takes 4 hours and 8 hours respectively."

People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Yong-won, who interviewed a North Korean prisoner of war captured by the Ukrainian military, released photos taken during the interview on the 4th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency, Office of Yoo Yong-won

Regarding this, Yoo said, "Although our military special forces also undergo high-intensity training, it seems that North Korean troops receive even more rigorous training," and added, "It did not seem like an exaggerated story." He continued, "A senior officer of the Ukrainian Special Forces Command said, 'We really cannot understand North Korean troops. They seem fearless,'" and conveyed, "North Korean soldiers are psychologically brainwashed and do not feel fear. Even in situations where the casualty rate exceeds 30%, they do not experience instinctive fear and continue to charge, fight, and commit suicide attacks."

According to the National Intelligence Service, North Korea recently sent additional troops to Ukraine. Yoo said, "Since there were 4,000 casualties, it seems necessary to replenish the forces," and added, "According to the Ukrainian government, about 1,500 troops have already been deployed to the battlefield, and another group of forces is preparing for dispatch."

He also predicted, "It will not be easy for the war in Ukraine to end within a month or two," and said, "Since dependence on the U.S., such as Starlink, has decreased compared to the past, if support comes from Europe, the war could be prolonged for several more months."