Ukraine calls on North Korean troops to surrender as US, NATO confirm deployment

Ukraine has urged North Korean soldiers reportedly arriving in Russia to surrender, offering them food and shelter. This comes after the U.S. and NATO confirmed the first evidence of North Korean forces being deployed to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Although both North Korea and Russia have denied these deployments, Ukrainian authorities issued a stark message. “We appeal to the soldiers of the Korean People’s Army who were sent to support the Putin regime. Don’t die senselessly on foreign soil,” the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) said in a Korean-language statement on Telegram. “Surrender! Ukraine will provide you with shelter, food, and warmth.”

The Ukrainian message is part of its broader “I Want to Live” initiative, initially launched to offer Russian soldiers a chance to surrender without facing persecution. Over 300 Russian soldiers have used the hotline to surrender since the program began in 2022. Now, Ukrainian forces are extending this opportunity to North Korean soldiers.

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A video accompanying the message shows facilities where surrendering troops would be housed, emphasizing comfortable accommodations, warm meals, and humane treatment. “In camps, prisoners of war are housed in large, warm, bright rooms with separate sleeping quarters. They receive three meals a day, and their diet includes meat, fresh vegetables, and bread,” said a narrator in the video.

NATO and U.S. officials have raised alarms about North Korea’s involvement, which could dangerously escalate the conflict. According to a report from South Korea’s spy agency, over 3,000 North Korean troops have already arrived in Russia, with that number expected to rise to 10,000 by December.

NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah confirmed the deployment, warning that if North Korean soldiers were deployed to Ukraine, it would signal “a significant escalation” in the war. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte echoed this concern, emphasizing the potential consequences of Pyongyang’s growing cooperation with Moscow.

Russia and North Korea have denied these reports. Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova dismissed the claims as “fake,” adding that any military cooperation between the two nations complies with international law.

As tensions mount, South Korea has vowed to take phased measures in response, with its allies closely monitoring the situation. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s open call for North Korean soldiers to surrender highlights the increasingly complex dynamics in the ongoing war.