North Korean troops being dispatched to Russia during the Ukraine-Russia war and receiving military uniforms, boots and other equipment. Source: Ukrainian Armed Forces Strategic Communication Information Security Center (SPRAVDI) Facebook”/>
It was revealed that Russia even prepared a Korean language questionnaire to smoothly supply military uniforms and boots to North Korean soldiers deployed to the country.
On the 19th (local time), CNN released a Korean questionnaire obtained through the Strategic Communication and Information Security Center (SPRAVDI) of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.
In the questionnaire, it is written in Korean, “Please fill out the hat size (circumference), school uniform/military uniform size, and shoe documentation.” The same instructions are also written in Russian.
In the table below, the item ‘Russian military uniform size (related to height)’ has numbers such as ‘2, 3, 4, 5, 6’ written on it, and the height corresponding to that size is ‘162-168’, ‘168- It is classified as ‘174’. Next to it, the ‘Size of each Joseon’ item is left blank. It appears that when a North Korean soldier submits his height and North Korean military uniform measurements, he will be issued a Russian military uniform accordingly.
CNN explained, “North Korean soldiers were asked to fill out this questionnaire as soon as they arrived in Russia.”
Previously, SPRAVDI released a video of North Korean soldiers receiving supplies at a location that appears to be the Sergievsky Training Center in Primorsky Krai. In the video, dozens of soldiers are lined up to receive supplies one after another, and North Korean words can be heard saying, “Don’t go over” and “We’re going forward, hey.” CNN said, “This evidence confirms long-standing concerns in Kiev that North Korea is preparing to take a more direct role in the war between Ukraine and Russia.”
On the 18th, the National Intelligence Service officially confirmed that North Korea had dispatched its elite special forces to Russia on a large scale. North Korea has agreed with Russia to send about 12,000 soldiers to participate in the Ukraine war, and 1,500 advance troops are reportedly being transported to the region aboard a Russian ship and receiving training before entering the front line.
The United States is taking a cautious stance on North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with reporters in Naples, Italy, where the G7 defense ministers’ meeting was held on the 19th (local time) and said, “We cannot confirm” reports that North Korea sent troops to Russia to dispatch troops to Ukraine. However, he stated, “If it is true, such a movement is worrisome.”
Kim Hye-rin, Donga.com reporter sinnala8@donga.com