Korean Volunteer Confirmed Dead in 'International Legion'... What Kind of Organization Is It? [Current Affairs Show]

Formed for the First Time in 86 Years Since the Spanish Civil War
"15 to 20 Koreans Participated, More Casualties Reported"

■ Broadcast: The Asia Business Daily 'So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show'

■ Host: So Jongseop, Political Specialist

■ Director: Lee Miri, Producer

■ Guest: Lee Hyunwoo, Reporter

The funeral of a Korean national who died after volunteering to fight in the Ukraine war was recently held in Kyiv, Ukraine, and the Korean government has officially confirmed this fact. While Ukrainian and Russian media have previously reported that Korean nationals have participated in the International Legion on the Ukrainian side and that there have been casualties, this is the first time the government has officially acknowledged such an incident. As questions grow over how Koreans managed to enter Ukraine-a country designated as off-limits for travel-and ended up joining the conflict, there is also increasing interest in the unfamiliar organization known as the International Legion.

Ukrainian and Russian Media: "More Korean Casualties... 15 to 20 Participated"

AFP Yonhap News

As of now, only one Korean casualty has been officially confirmed, but according to local Ukrainian media reports, there may be more. In fact, since the war began in February 2022, Ukrainian and Russian media have reported that around 15 to 20 Koreans have joined the International Legion, with 5 to 6 possibly having died in action.

It appears the government is conducting verification procedures regarding the identities of the Korean participants, but due to privacy concerns and the potential risks to their safety if their identities are revealed, personal information is not being disclosed. The Korean national whose death was confirmed this time was a man in his 50s, reportedly killed in action during combat with Russian forces on the Donetsk front in eastern Ukraine in May.

There is also speculation that the actual number of Koreans who entered Ukraine may be higher than reported. Occasionally, young people in their 20s have shared their experiences or photos of joining the International Legion on social media, and it is known that about 10 people per year have entered Ukraine illegally since 2022.

The fact that a significant number of people return after only receiving pre-frontline training also affects estimates of the total. It is said that out of every 300 new recruits to the International Legion, about 200 return home before being deployed to the front lines out of fear, indicating that the proportion who actually see combat is not high. For this reason, it is believed that more people returned home after staying in Ukraine for several months without being deployed to the front.

The main issue is that Ukraine is designated as a country off-limits for travel. If someone joins the International Legion and then returns to Korea, they can be prosecuted for illegal stay. In fact, former Captain Lee Geun was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, and a man in his 20s who illegally joined the Ukrainian volunteer force and stayed for six months before returning to Korea was fined 3 million won. Even if the decision is based on personal conviction, there are both legal risks and diplomatic burdens involved.

International Legion Formed for the First Time in 86 Years Since the Spanish Civil War

AP Yonhap News

The International Legion itself is an unfamiliar concept in Korea, as it is rare for foreign civilians to collectively participate in wars abroad. This organization is said to have re-emerged for the first time in 86 years since it was first formed during the Spanish Civil War in 1936. At that time, more than 30,000 people from 53 countries voluntarily enlisted to defend the Spanish Republic, but such international volunteer forces disappeared until they were revived by the Ukraine war.

The Ukrainian International Legion was reportedly formed just three days after the war began. As Russia launched a full-scale invasion and Ukraine faced an immediate shortage of soldiers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to the world via social media for the creation and support of an International Legion.

This appeal drew a much larger response than expected. Former soldiers with experience in Iraq and Afghanistan from the United States, Canada, and various European countries volunteered in large numbers. With flights to Ukraine almost entirely suspended, volunteers gathered in Poland and then entered Ukraine by land to form the International Legion brigades. It is said that more than 20,000 volunteers flocked to Ukraine in the early days of the war.

However, once deployed to the front lines, the reality changed dramatically. Even former special forces soldiers with extensive combat experience reportedly found the fighting extremely difficult. The widespread use of suicide drones on the battlefield led to a very high casualty rate early in the war, and there was a significant increase in cases of "drone phobia" and post-traumatic stress disorder. Many volunteers applied to return home and left Ukraine, and it is now estimated that about 10,000-roughly half the initial number-remain fighting.

Restrictions on International Legion Activities Expected to Continue, Considering National Interest and Postwar Russia Relations

Ultimately, the outlook for participation in the International Legion centers on the possibility of the Korean government tightening regulations. While some argue that joining the International Legion is a matter of personal conviction and cannot be completely prevented, the prevailing view is that it does not serve the national interest.

Since establishing diplomatic relations with Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Korea has rarely experienced significant deterioration in relations, and unlike China or Japan, there are relatively few direct border disputes, allowing for more cooperation on economic and Korean Peninsula issues. Although Korea is currently cooperating with the United States and the West on sanctions against Russia, it has not imposed the kind of extreme measures seen in the United States or Europe, and Russia also appears to be avoiding further confrontation with Korea.

This is interpreted as being because Russia, considering the issue of a ceasefire and its eventual reintegration into the international community, needs countries that can mediate dialogue with the United States and the West. While Turkey and some Middle Eastern countries are currently taking on this role, Korea could also serve as a mediator. After the war, both Korea and Russia are seen as wanting to quickly restore relations and maintain friendly ties in a way that benefits both countries' interests. However, concerns are being raised that continued participation in the International Legion could hinder this process of restoring relations.

While the government acknowledges that it is difficult to completely prevent individual choices, there is speculation that, given the dangerous circumstances of war and the clear designation of Ukraine as a country off-limits for travel under passport law, regulations on volunteer activities could be further strengthened until the war is completely over. As a result, with this latest confirmation of a Korean casualty, debate is expected to intensify over how far individual decisions to join the Ukrainian International Legion should be permitted and what diplomatic and legal costs the state must bear.