North Korean soldiers sent to fight for Russia in Ukraine were deceived into thinking they were battling South Korean forces, the Wall Street Journal has reported.

Testimonies from two captured soldiers, who spoke to the New York-based outlet, reveal the extent of Pyongyang’s military cooperation with Moscow and the harsh conditions faced by these foreign troops on the battlefield.

The two captured North Korean soldiers, 21-year-old Paek and 26-year-old Ri, told the Wall Street Journal they had been told their enemies were South Korean troops supporting Ukraine. Neither of them had any prior knowledge of the war they were sent to fight. Armed with Kalashnikov rifles, they were instructed to avoid capture at all costs, even if it meant detonating themselves. The North Korean military’s secret police accompanied them to Russia’s Kursk region, where ideological training taught them that surrender was equivalent to treason.

According to intelligence reports from South Korea, the United States and Ukraine, North Korea has sent an estimated 12,000 troops to assist Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has claimed that at least 4,000 of these soldiers have been killed, wounded or have taken their own lives in combat. In early 2025, North Korea reportedly sent an additional 2,000 troops to replace the losses. Many of these soldiers, lacking combat experience, were deployed in infantry assaults without armoured or artillery support. Ukrainian forces have described them as poorly equipped and sent on near-suicidal missions.

Paek, a special forces soldier, was unaware he was being sent to war until he arrived near the front lines. He was among the thousands of North Korean troops deployed to Kursk last autumn to support Russian forces. As part of their indoctrination, soldiers were required to memorise messages from North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Paek recalled being handed a letter from Kim, praising their efforts and urging them to fight patriotically. However, his first combat experience exposed him to a harshly different reality. Under heavy Ukrainian artillery and drone fire, he quickly realised the true horrors of war. Wounded by shrapnel in both legs, he considered following North Korean military protocol by killing himself. For five days, Paek lay wounded in a freezing forest, drifting in and out of consciousness. When he was finally captured on 9 January, he expected to encounter South Korean troops but instead found Ukrainian special forces. Initially, he threatened to detonate a grenade, but Ukrainian soldiers convinced him to surrender. His injuries were severe, and several of his toes had to be amputated due to gangrene.

Ri, a sniper from North Korea’s reconnaissance division, had been motivated by his commanders’ claims that South Korean troops were in Ukraine. He believed he was participating in a "liberation" mission to reclaim Russian territory. However, upon capture, he realised he had been misled. The sole survivor of his three-man squad, Ri was found in critical condition, suffering from gunshot wounds to his arm and jaw.

Both soldiers now face an uncertain future, as returning to North Korea is not an option – surrender is considered an act of treason. South Korea has offered to accept them, and negotiations are ongoing. In Ukraine, the two men have been shown South Korean media for the first time, including television dramas that depict life in a capitalist society. This appears to be an attempt by Kyiv to convince them that they have been fighting for the wrong side.