On June 30, 2025, local time, during the anniversary event of the Russia-North Korea treaty, North Korea for the first time showed combat footage of its special forces in Kursk Oblast, Russia, as well as scenes of North Korean special forces soldiers who died returning home. In the footage, large-scale exposure of North Korean special forces conducting jungle warfare and urban combat in the forests and towns of Kursk Oblast was shown for the first time. The evening also featured a video of North Korean special forces fighting side by side with Russian troops, as well as the scene of Kim Jong-un personally covering the coffin of a fallen North Korean special forces soldier with the national flag.

North Korea publicly disclosed the participation of its special forces in the war for the first time

Kim Jong-un personally covered the remains of a fallen North Korean special forces soldier with the national flag

North Korea also actively exposed the scene of the Deputy Minister of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Yevkurov, and North Korean People's Army officers inspecting the front line in the Kursk area. There were also many pictures of North Korean special forces following the Russians, riding in Russian armored vehicles, using three-person tactical formations to attack the town of Sujan in Kursk Oblast. This is the first time that North Korea has shown that its special forces have participated in the attack on Sujan in Kursk Oblast, and that some North Korean special forces even raised the Russian flag in Sujan.

North Korean special forces attacking Sujan in Kursk Oblast using three-person tactics

North Korean special forces raising the Russian flag in Kursk Oblast

This is the first time that the North Korean military has officially appeared on a modern battlefield. It can be said that North Korea has enabled its special forces to gain considerable information about how to conduct modern warfare. Especially when they are jointly forming units with the Russian military, and gaining early experience in how to fight under threats such as electronic warfare, drones, FPV suicide drones, HIMARS long-range rocket artillery, and US-made precision-guided bombs. The first battle of North Korean special forces in Kursk Oblast was a fierce clash with NATO mercenaries and Ukrainian troops trained by NATO. The Ukrainian army, supported and trained by the United States and NATO, has upgraded to a pure NATO ground force. This means that North Korean special forces are facing a military force that is the same as the one across the 38th parallel, and even more powerful after receiving support from the United States and NATO. According to Russian sources, this has accelerated North Korea's ability to adapt to the requirements of modern warfare.

North Korean and Russian armed forces fighting together

Before the war, the Russian military had made significant changes in tactics and equipment, but now they still have to dig trenches. Terrain conditions and existing means determine that it can only be done this way. This time, the North Korean military has actually participated in the practical training of modern warfare intensity, and it is the North Korean military that has actively sent troops. North Korea's deployment to Kursk Oblast has consolidated the mutual assistance agreement between North Korea and Russia, which is of great significance. If the casualty ratio of North Korean troops in the Kursk region is not significantly different from that of the same front-line Russian troops, it is enough to prove that the North Korean military is a capable force. The losses of North Korean special forces are far less than those of NATO mercenaries, as seen from the few prisoners, there are only two North Korean special forces prisoners captured on the Kursk battlefield, both of whom are elite Ukrainian troops and NATO mercenaries.

The scene of the Deputy Minister of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Yevkurov, and North Korean People's Army officers inspecting the front line

This time, the deployment of 20,000 North Korean special forces can exchange for the food, fuel, technology, especially satellite and missile technologies that North Korea urgently needs. What Russia can provide to North Korea is indeed quite a lot. After the 20,000 North Korean special forces have been tempered in the real combat training of modern warfare against the Ukrainian armed forces established under the entire NATO military system, it will be the most important strength. At present, there are only two true military alliances in the world: one is the entire West, where if one country goes to war, others also join. The other is Russia and North Korea. If the United States attacks North Korea like it did Iran, Russia will certainly help. If Russia collapses and is divided into more than ten small countries, these countries will all be occupied by American troops, which no one wants to see.

North Korean special forces engaged in fierce street fighting in Kursk Oblast

North Korean special forces also experienced jungle warfare in Kursk Oblast

Additionally, the key to military combat power is people. Cultivating a group of experienced officers and non-commissioned officers is very important. The Russians also know that if they rely on themselves, they definitely cannot win against Ukraine, the United States, NATO, and the Western country group. Moreover, the number of Russian casualties is too high, and Russia's conscription has reached its limit. Deploying troops to Kursk Oblast, Russia is a strategic opportunity for North Korea, and it can grow its national strength and receive technical assistance from Russia, including some weapons and equipment that it has long desired. Russia will agree to transfer technology and production lines. North Korea has obtained energy and military industrial technology from Russia, and also sells missiles, shells, long-range rocket artillery, and Gusan cannons to Russia, which can also develop its own industrial strength through this wave.

North Korea confirmed for the first time that its special forces participated in the final recapture of Sujan

North Korean special forces charging at Ukrainian armed forces positions

Moreover, North Korea has gained international status, making the outside world aware of its strength, so that they don't dare to start a war with North Korea easily. North Korean special forces have gained experience in modern warfare and have cultivated new junior officers. Although the casualties and injuries are considerable, it is understandable that they initially struggled to adapt to modern warfare and underestimated the UAVs of the Ukrainian army. Deploying troops to the Kursk battlefield has improved North Korea's strength, and from the perspective of North Korea's national strategy, it is indeed worth it, and may even have obtained part of the Russian military industry order. Even Russian media, "Tsar's Fortress," reported on June 29 that after Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu visited North Korea, various interesting statements began to circulate around the world: "Russia and North Korea have agreed to continue sending 200,000 North Korean soldiers to the war zone." Currently, North Korean arms exports, the dispatch of engineering troops to participate in post-war reconstruction, and the presence of military factory workers in Russian factories to assist in production are all already determined cooperation. Obviously, if Russia wants to win against Ukraine, it first needs to mobilize a million troops, and North Korea is an important reinforcement.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7521983582911447592/

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