Soldiers from North Korea display remarkable determination and readiness for combat, even under challenging conditions. They are relentless, almost fanatical in the face of death, despite their outdated and extremely rigid tactics, reports Business Insider.

Interest in North Korean forces has surged following Russian President Vladimir Putin's appeal to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for military assistance. In November of last year, Pyongyang sent 11,000 soldiers disguised as Russian troops to the Kursk region, equipped with fake documents. Primarily, these are special forces units characterized by high motivation and quality training.

The Russian command is actively involving North Koreans in complex combat operations. Although casualties are significant, these actions allow Kim Jong Un's army to gain experience in modern warfare.

Involvement of North Korean Military in War

This marks the largest military involvement of North Korea in a foreign conflict in the past 80 years. Business Insider spoke with experts and analyzed open intelligence data to assess the impact of the participation of North Korean forces.

Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence services reported that elite units from Pyongyang, specifically the 11th Corps, also known as the "Storm Corps," have been sent to Russia. These troops specialize in infiltration, sabotage, and target eliminations.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi noted that North Korean troops are "highly motivated, well-trained," and "brave." The Pentagon also confirmed their combat readiness, describing them as "relatively well-disciplined, competent forces."

According to Ukrainian soldiers who encountered them on the battlefield, North Koreans act swiftly, are proficient with firearms, and do not hesitate to engage in combat despite significant losses. Some of them were found with diaries containing writings dedicated to Kim Jong Un.

"They are more experienced as soldiers, more disciplined as soldiers, and more willing to fight as soldiers than some sources suggested when they were first sent there," remarked Joseph Bermudez, an expert on North Korean armed forces at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

DPRK Strategy

The North Korean army is one of the largest in the world, with around 1.2 million soldiers. Its military culture is based on strict disciplinary principles and uncompromising obedience to orders. This complicates the situation for Ukrainian forces, especially in the Kursk area, where Russian troop activity has significantly increased. Ukraine has lost a substantial part of its territory in this region, further exhausting its Defense Forces.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea reported that Pyongyang may expand its military support to Russia by sending additional troops and equipment.

Despite Kyiv's claims that Russian and North Korean military personnel are attempting to conceal their soldiers' casualties, particularly through the destruction of bodies, Pyongyang officially denies its involvement in the war.

"Human Wave" Tactics

Russia is actively engaging North Koreans in mass assaults, which come with enormous casualties. The White House stated, "It is clear that Russian and North Korean military leaders view these troops as expendable and order them to hopelessly attack Ukrainian defenses."

Previously, Washington described North Korean soldiers as "highly indoctrinated, who carry out attacks even when it is clear that these attacks are futile."

According to Ukrainian soldiers, North Koreans skillfully operate against drones and employ "human wave" tactics, launching massive assaults. They avoid capture, preferring to blow themselves up or shoot themselves rather than surrender to the enemy.

This aligns with the approach of North Korean special forces, where soldiers are taught to obey orders without question, even if those orders imply self-sacrifice. Bermudez noted that "refusing an order or fleeing the battlefield can lead to reprisals against the soldiers' families."

"You Learn By Doing"

Western analysts point out that the war has become an opportunity for North Korea to study modern combat tactics. Despite significant losses, Moscow provides its allies access to advanced technologies, particularly in the combat use of drones, artillery, and armored vehicles.

"It has been observed that soldiers participated in light infantry operations reminiscent of World War II—one person would open fire on the enemy (in this case, drones) to locate a target, while others tried to neutralize it," said Michael Madden, an expert at the Stimson Center.

The Institute for the Study of War predicts that if the casualty rate remains the same, the 11,000-strong North Korean contingent could be destroyed or rendered ineffective by April. Current estimates already suggest around 4,000 casualties.

Despite this, Pyongyang may consider such losses justified, as its military gains invaluable experience in modern warfare. "This is a dark version of the concept 'you learn by doing,'" Madden noted. "We will need further incidents and interactions to make more informed observations regarding whether they are adjusting their tactics."

Bermudez concluded: "They are learning these lessons the hardest way: by shedding blood for them."

North Korean Forces in Kursk: Key News

Recently, several Western media outlets reported that Russia has withdrawn North Korean troops from the front line. In particular, The New York Times states that they have not been seen at the frontline for about two weeks.

At the same time, Colonel Oleksandr Kondratenko from the Special Operations Forces confirmed this information in a comment to "Ukrainian Truth." He added that a likely reason could be significant losses among the DPRK fighters.