Despite the impressive displays at parades, the actual level of military training of North Korean troops raises significant doubts.
Military expert and veteran of the Russo-Ukrainian war, Alexey Hetman, discussed this in an interview. He emphasized that the North Korean army primarily relies on equipment that has been modernized based on Soviet-era technology. This complicates the transition to new Russian military models.
"Transitioning from a Korean tank to a Russian one will be extremely challenging for them. It requires months of retraining," the expert noted.
This process is not only complex but also extremely costly, given the high level of isolation in North Korean society. At first glance, the DPRK soldiers appear sufficiently motivated and ready for action; however, Hetman believes that this is merely an illusion.
"Looking impressive is one thing, but how skilled they are as fighters is quite another," he remarked.
According to him, the skills necessary for modern warfare cannot be acquired solely through demonstration training.
Interestingly, analysts believe that North Korea's involvement in the conflict may be driven by a desire to gain experience in modern warfare. The exchange of technologies plays a significant role in this, particularly the use of the KN-23 ballistic missiles developed in North Korea by Russia. This experiment could provide the DPRK with valuable insights into military technologies.