North Korean defectors seek Ukraine deployment to wage psychological war on ex-comrades

“We are all military veterans who understand North Korea’s military culture and psychological state better than anyone else,” Ahn Chan-il, a 69-year-old defector and member of the group, told This Week in Asia.

Ahn, who leads the World Institute for North Korea Studies and also serves as chair professor emeritus at Open Cyber University of Korea, underlined the ex-soldiers’ readiness to deploy.

“We’re ready to go wherever needed to work as psychological warfare agents – through loudspeaker broadcasts, distributing leaflets, and even acting as interpreters,” he said.

Lee Min-bok, another key figure in the initiative, has taken his plea directly to the Ukrainian government. He has posted an open letter to Ukraine’s embassy in Seoul, appealing to President Volodymyr Zelensky for permission to assist in rescuing North Korean soldiers, whom he described as “cannon fodder”.