"I don't know what words to choose to encourage and express my gratitude for the dedication and hard work of comrades who continue to fight valiantly into the new year. I send warm greetings of thanks to all of you."
The American daily newspaper Washington Post (WP) reported on the 19th (local time) that a letter from Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, was found among the belongings of a North Korean soldier killed in action.
The letter published by the Ukrainian military in WP includes the message: "I send my greetings to our brave and bold military carrying out military missions in the overseas operational areas" and noted, "The soldiers have experienced the pain of sacrifice and the joy of costly victories in battle, as well as precious feelings of true camaraderie and patriotism far from our homeland."
It also said, "I really miss you all" and expressed a hope that "everyone will remain healthy and fight with even more courage until the day we successfully conclude the assigned military mission." The handwritten letter, written in blue ink, bore the name 'Kim Jong Un' and was dated December 31 of the previous year.
WP reported, "While the source is unclear, it could be that the letter was sent to soldiers in Pyongyang, or that a commander recorded Kim Jong Un's message after hearing it."
WP assessed, "The fact that North Korean soldiers carried such a message in their pockets while on duty shows that they are ideologically much more motivated than the Russian soldiers."
WP reported that among the documents possessed by North Korean soldiers were many that detailed battle experiences. In addition to the letter, notes written in Russian phonetics stating "surrender and you will be spared" and "resistance is pointless," a first aid manual, and forged Russian military identification were also reportedly found among their belongings.
While introducing the documents of the North Korean military, WP pointed out, "It appears they are detailing their battle experiences and utilizing them to enhance their understanding of new technologies," adding, "They regard the deployment to Ukraine as an opportunity to accumulate practical combat experience in preparation for potential future conflicts with the West."
A member of a Ukrainian special forces unit who faced the North Korean army noted that they are "learning from their mistakes."
Meanwhile, WP reported that in Kursk, Russia, where the fighting between Russia and Ukraine has continued, North Korean troops have recently been rarely seen on the battlefield. Kursk is a western Russian city that Ukrainian forces captured part of in August of the previous year, where Russian and North Korean troops have been waging a battle for recapture.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the number of North Korean troops deployed in Russia is estimated to be 12,000, with casualties estimated at around 40,000 as of the 9th of this month.