“Charlotte Mountains: North Korean Soldiers Revealing an Unknown Side”

Recently, the movements of the Korean military on the battlefield in Ukraine have been attracting people’s attention. Several Ukrainian soldiers have recently shared some situations they encountered with Korean soldiers, revealing a lesser-known side of the Korean forces.

A Ukrainian special forces commander, codenamed “Puls,” revealed to the media that after suffering significant losses, the Korean military seems to have temporarily withdrawn from the front line in Kursk, Russia.

Commander “Puls” mentioned that it appears Kim Jong-un’s forces may be retreating from the Kursk battlefield after learning lessons from the bloody battles with the Ukrainian military, which seemed to exceed the expectations of most Korean soldiers. The Korean forces’ withdrawal may be for rest, treating the wounded and deceased, and awaiting reinforcements. He stated, “I think they will be back soon.”

Interviews with several Ukrainian soldiers involved in battlefield cleanup operations since the Korean army arrived in the Kursk battlefield last month revealed details of Korean soldiers’ involvement in combat situations.

They summarized situations such as initial Korean soldiers lacking awareness of the threats posed by drones and artillery, launching attacks on foot in groups of 20, 40, or even 60 soldiers, similar to World War II tactics, making them easy targets for counterattacks.

Furthermore, Korean soldiers seemed to be extensively indoctrinated, continuing to advance mechanically even under intense Ukrainian artillery fire and witnessing comrades being killed or injured, showing a lack of battlefield adaptability. Korean soldiers were observed trying to eliminate evidence of their presence in the war zone, with some wearing white helmets allegedly specializing in rescuing wounded or looting the bodies of the deceased. Korean soldiers generally refused to be captured, with reports of some opting to commit suicide with grenades rather than risk capture. It was even reported that a Korean soldier shouted “Fighting for General Kim Jong-un!” before committing suicide.

Due to language barriers, there was poor coordination between Korean and Russian forces. Intercepted radio communications revealed that Korean troops accidentally attacked Russian positions, resulting in heavy casualties while attempting to assault Ukrainian positions. Even if they made some progress, Russian forces were unable to capitalize on it, indicating a lack of battlefield cooperation and minimal intelligence communication between Korean and Russian forces.

The individual weapons and equipment of Korean soldiers appeared to be better than those of many Russian soldiers, including rifles and uniforms, but they lacked heavy armor, forcing Korean soldiers to initiate attacks on foot and use transport vehicles resembling golf carts to transport ammunition. “They shaved their beards clean and dressed like models. It’s hard to determine their age. They all look between 25 and 35 years old, maybe up to 40,” said Commander “Puls.”

As the number of captured or confirmed dead Korean soldiers in the Kursk battlefield increased, the presence of Korean troops assisting Russian operations in Ukraine was no longer a secret. However, both Korean and Russian authorities have yet to confirm the deployment of Korean troops in Russia.

Last week, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated that approximately 4,000 Korean soldiers had been wounded or killed in action on the Kursk battlefield. One of the tasks of the elite Ukrainian assault teams was to collect DNA samples from about 25 Korean soldiers killed by Ukrainian drones and artillery in Kursk two weeks ago, including saliva, hair, and personal documents and belongings carried by the deceased soldiers.

Footage showed Ukrainian soldiers cautiously inserting cotton swabs into the mouths of deceased Korean soldiers to collect saliva samples, removing helmets, cutting hair, and packing these samples in plastic bags. Bulletproof vests were also removed for easier access to personal items carried by each soldier, such as military ID cards, tags, notebooks, photos, etc.

One of Commander “Puls'” subordinates, codenamed “Trainer,” participated in the operation and expressed surprise at the limited combat supplies of the Korean army, which only comprised ammunition and chocolates. He stated, “Not a single soldier carried a water bottle. They believed they would launch a fierce attack, seize positions, and then survive by capturing our supplies.” Trainer mentioned finding personal items on Korean soldiers, including letters, notebooks, documents, hand-drawn maps, and photos of family members like children and mothers, as well as letters they had yet to send home. He noted, “Some of the notes seemed to record the soldiers’ battlefield experiences. They seem to be trying to learn from modern warfare. This is them accumulating experience for their country and for potential future conflicts.”

Commander “Puls” also described differences in the fighting styles between Korean and Russian soldiers. Compared to Russian troops, Korean soldiers seemed to display stronger discipline, morale, and determination, which he believed was a result of their complete indoctrination.

Around two weeks ago, Commander “Puls” noticed the beginning of the Korean forces’ retreat. Currently, Russian forces are mainly stationed at the front lines, with very few Korean soldiers remaining. He mentioned that Korean troops were either analyzing their mistakes, treating injuries, or awaiting reinforcements. There were reports stating that Kim Jong-un was preparing to dispatch more Korean troops to the region. Intercepted Russian communications seemed to indicate that Korean forces would return.

However, from December last year to January this year, the involvement of Korean forces in the battles in Kursk did not have any significant impact on Russian territorial expansion.

According to data from the Ukrainian Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) agency DeepStateMap, the advancement speed of Russian troops peaked in November last year, before decreasing rapidly since December.

Since July 2024, the total advance of Russian forces across Ukraine amounted to 2,823.3 square kilometers, peaking at 792.2 square kilometers in November. Subsequently, the advance speed noticeably declined. Even with the addition of Korean troops, there was no halt to the decrease in Russian advance speed to its lowest point in six months.

Zelensky’s statement on social media read, “We have been actively defending Ukrainian territory in the Kursk region for nearly six months. We are maintaining a buffer zone on Russian territory to protect our cities Sumy and Kharkiv from Russian aggression. The effectiveness of our weapons is bringing the war back to Russia and weakening their ability to wage war.” He added, “The turmoil in Russia, the decrease in oil sales and refining capabilities, and the drop in global oil prices, are all necessary for peace.”

The slowing down of Russian advance speed indicates that Moscow may struggle to sustain the war in Ukraine due to shortages in manpower, equipment, and worsening economic issues. Economic sanctions from Western countries targeting Russian energy could cut off war funding, impacting the subsequent actions of the Russian military.