North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made a major tactical decision by appointing three-star general Kim Yong Bok to command elite troops recently deployed to Russia, some of which are already operational on the front lines. Kursk region. With an established leadership track record and a recent promotion to deputy chief of staff of the Korean People’s Army (KPA), this senior member is part of a select circle in the senior military hierarchy. This group not only enjoys privileged access to the Kim family, but has also taken a solemn oath of unwavering loyalty, willing to sacrifice even their lives in defense of the regime.
The cryptic general, whose age remains a mystery, remains in command of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) in the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army. His constant presence alongside the dictator during visits to the training facilities of these units, which are estimated to house at least 150,000 troops, has attracted considerable attention. These troops specialize in infiltration maneuvers, which in the past led analysts to speculate that their capabilities were geared toward missions against Seoul. However, the reality has emerged forcefully: these forces have been preparing for their deployment to Ukraine.
According to North Korean state media reports, SOF has focused its training on executing raids in urban environments, parachute landings, and amphibious and ground infiltrations into adversary military bases. These maneuvers reflect a commitment to sophisticated tactics, aligned with North Korean military doctrine, which emphasizes asymmetric warfare as a means to counter the technological advantages of its opponents. The often fragmentary and carefully curated biographies compiled by various foreign intelligence services reveal that Yong Bok was promoted to SOF commander in 2014, a pivotal moment that came two years after Kim Jong Un assumed the supreme leadership. .
Meanwhile, it has been reported that a North Korean general may have been injured in a Ukrainian missile attack in the Kursk region, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed Western officials. On Wednesday, Ukraine launched at least ten “Storm Shadow” missiles, provided by the United Kingdom, aimed at the Maryino farm, located approximately 32 kilometers from the front lines. This complex, which housed a Russian Army command post and a communications center, became the target of an assault in which senior North Korean commanders would be present.
A month after reporting on the deployment of North Korean troops in Russian territory, the United States and South Korea have corroborated the participation of these troops in combat in the Kursk region, in the context of the Kremlin’s counteroffensive. Pyongyang is estimated to have contributed approximately 10,000 troops to the total force of 50,000 operating in that area, having noted that infiltrated military personnel were wearing Russian uniforms during the clashes.
To date, North Korea has contextualized its involvement in the conflict within the framework of its recently ratified Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty. Under this pact, Kim can offer assistance to Moscow in defending against external aggression, justifying his alignment with Russian troops to counter Ukrainian occupation of Russian territory, rather than participating in fighting on the Ukrainian front.
North Korea hosts an imposing conventional army, made up of 1.3 million active soldiers and 7.6 million in reserve, a figure that represents about a third of its total population. Although the North Korean military has considerable experience, given that military service is mandatory and extends between eight and ten years, accurately assessing its operational capabilities presents a challenge. This mystery is largely due to the isolation of the hermetic regime, the rigorous living conditions faced by soldiers, and the obsolescence of their weapons systems, many of which date back to the Soviet era.
Thus, the Hermit Kingdom perceives recent events in Ukraine as a strategic opportunity to practice modern warfare against armed forces provided by the West, without assuming the risks of direct conflict on the Korean Peninsula. This scenario not only allows you to fine-tune your operational capabilities, but also offers you the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of your arsenal, which includes ballistic missiles and artillery systems, on a battlefield that simulates the dynamics of future confrontations.
North Korean troops are in a position to gain experience in an increasingly lethal battlefield, characterized by the proliferation of reconnaissance and attack drones, as well as the integration of first-person view (FPV) loitering munitions on both sides. According to the South Korean National Intelligence Service, Pyongyang is interested in learning to pilot unmanned aircraft and integrating these operations into its maneuvers.
Likewise, North Korean soldiers will be able to train in electronic warfare, countermeasures against drones and GPS jamming techniques. The Department of Defense Intelligence’s assessment indicates that the nuclear power recognizes the critical relevance of cyber operations in disrupting enemy command and control, although its ability to implement such tactics has been limited, primarily restricted to the use of GPS jammers near the demilitarized zone. This experience in a real operational environment could enhance your strategic capabilities.