North Korean troops in Kursk region told they’re fighting South Korean soldiers

A captured North Korean soldier, identified as Ri, revealed in an interview with Chosun Ilbo that North Korean troops deployed in Russia’s Kursk region were told they were fighting not only against Ukrainian forces but also against South Korean soldiers.

According to Ri, each battalion included one or two security officers from North Korea’s Ministry of State Security, responsible for ideological and disciplinary control.

“They monitored both our duties and our ideology. Before a battle, one of them told me that all drone operators in the Ukrainian army were actually South Korean soldiers,” Ri said.

When asked whether North Korean fighters believed they were up against both Ukrainian and South Korean troops, the prisoner confirmed that they did.

Ri stated that he arrived in Russia as part of a group of 2,500 North Koreans on October 10, 2024. Initially, they underwent training in Vladivostok, before being transferred to Kursk in early December.

“I was told I was going there as a student for training. I had no idea I would be participating in combat,” he added.

• On January 11, reports emerged that Ukraine’s Defense Forces had captured two wounded North Korean soldiers during battles in Russia’s Kursk region.