It has been assessed that North Korean forces are rapidly adapting to modern warfare tactics, thereby exerting a negative impact on security in the Pacific region.
Kyrylo Budanov, Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, made this claim during an interview with The Japan Times, which was published on Wednesday.
Budanov noted that while North Korean troops initially struggled to adjust to modern warfare—resulting in heavy early casualties—their rate of adaptation soon accelerated.
He explained that they’ve evolved on the battlefield, gradually adopting modern combat tactics and equipment. Further noting that North Korean forces have not only learned to utilize drones but have also quickly mastered defending against them.
U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies estimate that approximately 15,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed last year to assist Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.
Furthermore, North Korea reached an agreement last June with Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of Russia’s National Security Council, during his visit to Pyongyang, to deploy an additional 1,000 combat engineers and 5,000 military construction personnel within the year for recovery efforts in the Kursk region.
However, Budanov did not rule out the possibility that these newly deployed personnel could be sent to the frontlines. He stated that some may indeed be involved in mine clearance and fortification construction.
Moreover, Budanov warned that North Korean officers are also receiving modern warfare training in Russia, and that the qualitative improvement of North Korean forces could ultimately heighten tensions in the region.
He emphasized that they’ve consistently stressed that the cooperation between Russia and North Korea isn’t just a threat to Ukraine. Further highlighting that North Korea is likely to disregard advice from China, its longtime ally that has long sought to curtail its nuclear and military ambitions