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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has openly commended a soldier who took their life rather than be captured while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. This marks the most explicit acknowledgment of an extreme policy regarding battlefield conduct, which officials and intelligence agencies have noted for some time.
In remarks published by North Korean state media on Monday, Kim spoke at a memorial for soldiers lost in battle, honoring those who “without hesitation chose self-destruction and suicide” to evade capture. He stated, “It’s not just the heroes who took such drastic actions to defend their honor, but also those who fell in the thick of battle.”
This was the first instance where Kim spoke directly about the drastic measures the North Korean military has taken to avoid capture by Ukrainian troops.
North Korea is estimated to have deployed around 14,000 soldiers to the Kursk region to support Russia’s military operations, as per intelligence from South Korean, Ukrainian, and Western officials. It’s reported that over 6,000 North Korean soldiers have died amid some of the fiercest combat of the ongoing conflict.
For a while, intelligence reports and testimonies from defectors have pointed to strict orders requiring North Korean troops to take their own lives instead of being captured. This appears to extend even to those who survive the fighting. The Guardian reported that two North Korean soldiers, currently held as prisoners of war in Ukraine, attempted to activate their explosives but were incapacitated by injuries. One of them reportedly felt remorse for not fulfilling the order.
Kim’s recent speech seems to have transformed long-standing suspicions about battlefield practices into publicly celebrated principles. He elaborated, “Those who are troubled by not completing their duties, rather than the physical pain from battle, can also be regarded as loyal warriors and patriots.”
This highlights the intensity of the ideology driving the North Korean military, suggesting that loyalty to the regime may very well extend to the ultimate sacrifice.
The findings also underscore the growing military relationship between North Korea and Russia. South Korean intelligence suggests that North Korea supplies troops and munitions to Moscow, while receiving economic support and military technology in return.
