In a surprising and potentially explosive development in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, North Korea’s reported decision to send foot soldiers to assist Russia in defending its territory in Kursk has sparked international concern. If Pyongyang’s troops actively engage in combat in the Kursk region, it could create unforeseen diplomatic, military, and strategic consequences—not only for Russia but for North Korea and the Kim regime itself. With limited military equipment, minimal language skills, and outdated tactics, the presence of North Korean troops could become more of a liability than an asset for Russia, and their involvement could catalyze even more severe instability within North Korea.
This potential alliance raises pressing questions about the impact on global security, especially as Ukraine attempts to leverage this development to secure more assistance from NATO allies. Here, we explore the implications of North Korea’s military involvement for all three nations and assess how this development might influence the broader conflict landscape.
Kursk, a region on the southwestern Russian border, has become the latest flashpoint in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Recent reports indicate that Ukrainian forces have pushed into the Kursk region, with the intent of creating a new frontline against Russia. Despite initial advances, Ukrainian troops are facing stiff resistance, with Russian forces reportedly reclaiming village after village. However, the Ukrainian military incursions, while limited in scope, provide the legal basis for Russia to invoke a newly signed defense agreement with North Korea.
Following a recent ratification by Russia’s State Duma, this defense pact with North Korea obliges both countries to support each other if either is attacked. With Ukrainian troops now on Russian soil, North Korea has offered to dispatch a small contingent of troops to support Russian forces in Kursk. However, there are legitimate doubts about the military efficacy of North Korea’s presence. So far, only light infantry has been observed among the North Korean troops—soldiers without modern tanks, artillery, or the training necessary to integrate seamlessly with Russian forces.
North Korean Forces: An Assessment of Capabilities and Limitations
North Korea’s military, the Korean People’s Army (KPA), has largely operated in isolation since the Korean War armistice in 1953. As a result, the KPA’s conventional combat experience is minimal and its equipment is notably outdated. The KPA lacks modern mechanized capabilities, which limits the impact it can make on a modern battlefield dominated by advanced weaponry and logistical complexity. Without armor (such as tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and artillery), the North Korean troops appear ill-suited to combat the heavily mechanized and technologically advanced Ukrainian forces.
One of the most significant challenges facing North Korean forces is the lack of integration with Russian military command and control. The two militaries have limited operational experience together, and the language barrier between Russian and Korean soldiers further complicates tactical communication on the battlefield. To date, Russian training efforts for these North Korean soldiers have been minimal, leaving them unfamiliar with Russian equipment and tactics. Given these limitations, a force of even 10,000 North Korean troops—the equivalent of a single Russian combat brigade—is unlikely to make a substantial impact on the course of battle in Kursk.
While North Korean troops’ presence might appear symbolically valuable for Russia, it could prove to be a strategic miscalculation. The logistical and operational support required to manage North Korean foot soldiers could strain Russian resources. This is especially true given the lack of tactical readiness and language barriers that these forces present. If these troops suffer heavy casualties, it may not only undermine North Korea’s relationship with Russia but also destabilize Kim Jong-un’s regime back home.
For North Korea, an alliance that results in significant military losses could bring unintended domestic consequences. The Kim regime, a tightly controlled dictatorship, is highly protective of its internal image and the myth of military strength. However, substantial casualties among its soldiers in a foreign conflict could weaken its position domestically. Furthermore, the North Korean public, which is heavily isolated from international affairs, might become aware of their government’s involvement in a foreign war, potentially leading to a crisis of confidence in Kim Jong-un’s leadership.
Ukraine’s Perspective: A Chance to Garner NATO Support?
Ukrainian leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky and his intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, have emphasized the potential involvement of North Korean troops as a reason for NATO to intervene more decisively in their favor. Ukraine has been vocal about the need for a united NATO response to deter further escalation, and the arrival of North Korean troops could potentially fuel these appeals. By highlighting North Korea’s involvement, Ukrainian officials hope to paint Russia as an aggressor allied with authoritarian regimes, bolstering their argument for Western intervention.
Although NATO member states have been supplying military aid, the alliance has yet to commit troops directly to Ukraine. France has shown interest in deepening NATO’s involvement, but Germany and Poland remain staunchly opposed, wary of the risks of direct confrontation with Russia. Despite this, there is speculation that the United States, France, and the United Kingdom could attempt to form a “Coalition of the Willing” to support Ukraine directly, bypassing NATO’s formal constraints. However, such an endeavor would still face significant logistical and political hurdles, as Poland—key for any logistical base—fears retaliation from Russia and is reluctant to actively support an interventionist policy.
The decision to involve North Korean troops could be seen as a calculated move by Russian President Vladimir Putin to intimidate the West. By bringing North Korean forces into the fray, Putin signals his willingness to deepen alliances with other isolated authoritarian regimes and to leverage them as a deterrent against NATO intervention. This act of brinkmanship aims to remind NATO that any escalation might bring more unexpected and potentially destabilizing variables into the conflict.
Putin is well aware that deploying North Korean troops might present more operational burdens than benefits, but the psychological and geopolitical message is clear: Russia is prepared to explore unconventional alliances to safeguard its territorial integrity. However, this move could backfire if Ukrainian forces manage to inflict significant casualties on the North Korean troops. A military debacle involving Pyongyang’s forces would undermine the North Korea-Russia alliance, potentially destabilizing the Kim regime and diminishing Russia’s standing as a global power capable of commanding the support of its allies.
The North Korean Military: What Little We Know
North Korea’s military is shrouded in secrecy, and despite its impressive size on paper, little is known about its actual capabilities. Military analysts often classify North Korea’s equipment as outdated, with its tank and artillery systems largely modeled on Soviet-era designs. The DPRK army is believed to rely on old-fashioned communication systems, with limited capacity for modern electronic warfare and information warfare. Integrating North Korean forces into the Russian command structure, which uses more advanced military technologies, is a significant operational challenge. Russian generals would need to allocate resources to train, coordinate, and equip North Korean troops with modern gear and procedures.
Moreover, the ideological differences between the two countries present additional complications. Russian soldiers may be skeptical of the combat effectiveness of North Korean troops, while North Korean soldiers, who have been instilled with an intense loyalty to the Kim regime, might struggle to adjust to the relatively lax Russian military discipline and practices.
While some news reports have referred to North Korean troops as “mercenaries,” this label may be inaccurate. North Korea’s military alliance with Russia is governed by a formal mutual defense agreement, making these troops government-sanctioned allies rather than mercenaries. This is distinct from the estimated 13,000 Western mercenaries and the unknown number of military advisors and specialists who have supported Ukraine. These advisors, often uniformed, are responsible for managing advanced air defense systems, coordinating communications, and maintaining command nodes, all of which underscore the complex nature of outside involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
The entry of North Korean troops into the Ukraine conflict signals a new phase in the war, one marked by unconventional alliances and heightened geopolitical risks. For Ukraine, North Korea’s involvement may reinforce calls for NATO intervention, though actual commitment from the alliance remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Russia’s use of North Korean forces, however limited, suggests a willingness to use alliances with isolated regimes as leverage against the West, complicating the conflict’s diplomatic resolution.
The deployment of North Korean troops in Kursk may produce more harm than good for Russia, serving as a logistical burden and creating risks of high-profile casualties that could damage both Russia’s reputation and the Kim regime’s stability. The Kim regime, already struggling with internal economic challenges, may face new domestic strains if its troops suffer significant losses abroad. For Putin, this development is a risky maneuver—one that could either intimidate the West or expose the vulnerabilities of his alliances.
As Ukraine’s allies weigh the next steps, the international community watches closely, aware that the stakes are rising and that the conflict’s escalation could drag multiple nations into a more complex and perilous confrontation.
