North Korea’s ruling party has recently bestowed the title “Hero of the Republic” upon soldiers who died fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine, and has published videos of supreme leader Kim Jong Un shedding tears of mourning. While these actions have drawn criticism from the international community, the Workers’ Party of Korea is sending lecturers across the country to promote the slogan that “our army is the best.”
A source in South Pyongan province said that lecturers discussing the Russia-Ukraine War in Pyongsong and other areas have repeatedly emphasized that “our army is the best under the Party’s wise leadership.”
But this slogan amounts to deceitful propaganda. Just as North Korea has distorted the truth about the Korean War—which it blames on South Korea and the United States—it is also whitewashing the human cost of the war in Ukraine, spreading a misleading narrative aimed at fostering national unity.
The reality is that the international community has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an “unjust war.”
When Ukraine moved to join NATO, Russia launched an invasion to counter what it called a “threat” to its sovereignty and state survival. But for many critics, this was a calculated act of aggression designed to shift the global balance of power.
The Pyongyang regime hasn’t shared this context with the public. Instead, it has deployed thousands of young soldiers to the battlefield.
North Korea’s military reality check
Moreover, the North Korean military cannot objectively be described as “the best.” Global Firepower, an annual ranking that considers over 60 factors, places North Korea in 34th place, while South Korea ranks 5th. This ranking focuses on troop numbers and equipment quantities, without weighing weapon system functionality, years of service, or training levels. If those factors were included, North Korea’s military would undoubtedly rank even lower.
In modern warfare, the decisive factor is strategic strike capability. To end a war before it begins, a military must be able to launch precision strikes that cripple the enemy’s ability to fight.
Although Russia enjoys a comfortable numerical advantage over Ukraine in soldiers and equipment, it has struggled with limited air power and resources depleted over the course of this protracted war, now in its third year. Russia has attempted to use North Korean reinforcements and drones to fill the gap, but this hasn’t produced the desired breakthrough.
Experts believe North Korean units have suffered heavy losses on the battlefield as they’ve struggled to adapt to modern weaponry. Drones and missiles capable of precision strikes pose a deadly threat to North Korean soldiers, many of whom have been killed in action.
North Korea devotes over 20% of its GDP to the military, but aside from its nuclear weapons, it has little that compares to the world’s major military powers. True military strength is a comprehensive measure that includes not only troop numbers and equipment but also technical expertise, training quality, and economic foundation.
All in all, North Korea’s slogan of “our army is the best” is far from reality. Rather than whipping up patriotism to protect the regime, North Korea’s leaders should swiftly bring their troops home and reunite them with their families.
