Propaganda Materials Created by North Korean Defectors Aim to Break Troops’ Loyalty in Ukraine

As tensions mount, analysts predict that clashes between North Korean troops deployed to Russia and Ukrainian forces are imminent. In a surprising development, North Korean defectors with military backgrounds have created propaganda materials aimed at encouraging desertion among their former fellow citizens now fighting in Ukraine. These materials were recently handed over to Ukrainian authorities.

On Monday, a group known as the Defector Propaganda Team, comprised of former North Korean soldiers and their families, provided leaflets detailing escape methods and audio files for radio broadcasts. The team is led by Jang Se Yul, head of the Korean Unification Alliance, and was formed on October 25. Jang and another team member are scheduled to meet with Ukrainian officials in Brussels today to present their work and an open letter addressed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The letter emphasizes the potential for “active psychological warfare to induce mass surrender and desertion among North Korean troops.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense has assessed that North Korean soldiers, explicitly trained in trench warfare, are likely to be deployed on the front lines in direct combat against Ukrainian forces. This development marks a significant escalation in North Korea’s involvement in the conflict and raises concerns about the potential for high casualties and prolonged struggle.