North Korean soldiers believed they were heading for training exercises, not to fight against Ukraine, according to the South Korean ambassador.

North Korean soldiers reportedly were unaware that they were being sent to Russia to fight against Ukraine. They believed they were participating in military exercises.

According to RBK-Ukraine, this was stated by South Korea's ambassador to the UN, Hwang Jung-kuk.

He mentioned that the North Korean soldiers did not know they were dispatched for the war against Ukraine; instead, they were told they were involved in drills simulating combat operations. He believes that the two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine were also unaware of their deployment for the war against Ukraine.

"Russia and North Korea continue to deny the deployment of North Korean soldiers and falsely claim that military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang fully complies with international law," said Jung-kuk.

North Korean Soldiers' Involvement in the War Against Ukraine

Last year, it became known that Kim Jong-un sent North Korean soldiers to assist Russia in the war against Ukraine. The Russians are utilizing allied troops to "liberate" the Kursk region from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, within just two days, Russia lost up to a battalion of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region.

As of January 11, two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces.

For more details on the involvement of North Korean soldiers in the war and its effects on the front, read our exclusive article.