An anonymous Ukrainian soldier describes the North Korean forces to AP as disciplined and methodical, and more professional than Russian forces. On the other hand, other Ukrainian soldiers, including those from special forces, have shared drone images from the battlefield on Telegram, mocking their tactics as outdated.
North Korea has one of the world's largest armies, but since the Korean War, they lack experience of modern warfare.
For the first time in decades, the North Korean army is getting proper military experience, says Andrij Jusov.
Mistake: Didn't think about drones
On Sunday evening, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky writes on X that the country is ready to hand over two captured North Koreans to their homeland – if its dictator Kim Jong-Un can arrange an exchange for Ukrainian soldiers in Russia.
If they don't want to return, the president says that another solution can be reached if the North Korean soldiers are willing to tell the "truth about the war" to the world.
One of the forces' early mistakes is believed to be that the inexperienced soldiers have moved in large groups in open terrain, making them visible to drones.
This tactic dates back to a time before modern drone technology. According to Ukrainian military, the North Koreans have suffered heavy losses in drone attacks – an image shared by a captured North Korean soldier.
Learning quickly
The soldiers were deemed inexperienced when they started participating in battles in the Kursk border region last year – but now there is a consensus among soldiers and military intelligence that it has changed rapidly.
It's only a matter of time before they acquire the capabilities needed to improve their combat effectiveness, which, combined with their discipline and training, can make them a significant military force, says military analyst Glib Voloskji, affiliated with a Ukrainian think tank.
According to Andrij Jusov, the North Koreans are using their own weapons and equipment, but have also learned to handle drones with improvised explosive charges, which have become a symbol of the Ukraine war.
They have gained direct experiences that not even some NATO countries have, according to Jusov.
The countries in the region must prepare for what this means for the future, he says.
Ukraine, South Korea, and the USA all estimate that North Korea has sent up to 12,000 soldiers to fight for Russia in the war against Ukraine. Russia has never publicly confirmed this.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed in mid-January that 4,000 North Korean soldiers have been injured or killed, while the USA estimates a lower figure of around 1,200 soldiers.
