Footage of North Korean troops fighting in Kursk was first broadcast by the Korean Central Television (KCTV) on 22/8, during an event honoring soldiers returning from the battlefield and commemorating 101 soldiers killed in action. The footage was captured by drones and body cameras worn by soldiers.
The video shows North Korean infantry units preparing for combat and engaging Ukrainian forces in urban and forested environments. North Korean soldiers are seen using guided anti-tank missiles and suicide drones to attack Ukrainian tanks, as well as firing rocket artillery at enemy positions.
Some soldiers are also shown installing communication equipment and jamming devices in trees to counter Ukrainian drones.
Military experts say the footage is authentic and consistent with previous reports of North Korean tactics in the conflict. Russian media in April also published a video of North Korean soldiers training at a firing range in Kursk, citing it as evidence of close cooperation between the two countries.
After Ukraine launched an offensive in Russia's Kursk region in 8/2024, North Korea sent troops to support Russia, helping Moscow fully liberate the area by the end of April. The number of North Korean soldiers deployed to Kursk is unknown, but South Korea estimates it to be over 10,000.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in May stated that sending troops to fight in Kursk was a "legitimate exercise of sovereign rights to defend a brother nation." In late June, he paid tribute to the soldiers killed in Kursk, draping their coffins with flags and placing his hand upon them.
In a phone call with Kim on 12/8, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude for the "sacrifice of North Korean soldiers," affirming their courage and heroism.
Ngoc Anh (KCTV, RT)
