The representative of the White House, John Kirby, said that the North Korean military, who are fighting on the side of Russia in Ukraine, lay hands on themselves to avoid being captured by the Ukrainian defense forces. According to Kirby, North Korean soldiers are fighting in the Kursk region, and many of them, saving themselves from possible reprisals in case of capture, resort to suicide.
Kirby emphasized that the North Korean military is viewed as "expendable material" in the strategy of Russian and North Korean leaders. They are given orders to carry out "hopeless attacks" even when it is clear that they are doomed to failure. According to a White House representative, North Korean soldiers who are captured fear reprisals not only for themselves, but also for their families in North Korea.
Kirby also noted that despite Russian-provided military equipment and ammunition, North Korean commanders are likely receiving large numbers of body bags, as casualties among their troops are high. In the last week alone, North Korea suffered a thousand dead and wounded in the Kursk region.
