Ukraine Targets 10,000 North Korean Soldiers—Here’s What They’re Offering to Surrender

EuroNews reported on Monday that Ukraine’s intelligence agency is expanding its “I Want to Live” project. This initiative targets approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia’s Kursk border region, encouraging them to desert and surrender.

The “I Want to Live” project, launched in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, assists Russian soldiers unwilling to participate in the conflict to surrender. To date, an estimated 350 Russian troops have used this program to surrender to Ukrainian forces.

Ukraine’s intelligence agency has also prepared detailed instructions for surrender in Korean-language leaflets. These leaflets advise: “First, discard your weapon. Then, approach Ukrainian forces holding either a white cloth or this leaflet. Finally, lie face down on the ground.”

Vitaliy Matvienko, a volunteer involved in the project, explained: “Not everyone wants to fight. We’re well aware of the living conditions in North Korea. This offers many a chance to escape the regime and relocate to another country.”

In addition to distributing leaflets, Ukraine’s intelligence agency is leveraging online videos to reach North Korean troops. On December 3, a video surfaced featuring a South Korean mercenary claiming to have fought for Ukraine for three years.

The 1-minute, 40-second video addresses North Korean soldiers deployed in Russia and urges them to surrender. The man identifies as South Korean and states, “There’s no reason for you to live in fear, cold, and hunger. You have the freedom and right to shape your own life.” He then outlines specific surrender procedures and promises food, housing, money, employment, and even asylum opportunities to those who surrender.

On the same day, the U.S. Department of Defense commented that while they have not observed North Korean troops actively engaged in combat, they are aware of their presence and preparedness for combat engagement. They emphasized that they are continuously monitoring the situation.

On December 5, Ukrainian media outlet RBC-Ukraine cited a report from the National Resistance Center (NRC), operated by Ukraine’s special operations forces. According to the report, the deployed North Korean troops are primarily tasked with security duties rather than direct combat operations.