Two North Korean prisoners of war, captured by Ukrainian forces last month, have spoken exclusively to the Chosunilbo at a prisoner-of-war (POW) camp in Ukraine. This marks the first time North Korean soldiers deployed to fight in Russia have been interviewed by the media. Mr. Ri (26), a reconnaissance sniper, and Mr. Baek (21), a rifleman, each served in the North Korean military for 10 and 4 years before they were deployed to Kursk, Russia, in October and November last year.
Both men had been held in solitary confinement after they were captured on Jan 9. While all North Korean troops sent to Russia were initially thought to have been part of the elite Storm Corps, the two soldiers insisted that they were actually affiliated with the Reconnaissance General Bureau, the intelligence agency that manages North Korea’s clandestine operations.
Ri and Baek disclosed that North Korean security agents were closely monitoring the troops in Kursk, spreading false rumors that South Korean forces in Ukraine were attacking North Korean soldiers with drones. (South Korea has not deployed soldiers to Ukraine.) “They [the security agents] told us that all Ukrainian military drone operators were actually South Korean soldiers,” Ri said.
Both men are only sons. Ri, who is from Pyongyang, said he had been told he was being sent “abroad for training” when he left the city on Oct. 10 last year. Baek said father passed away the year he enlisted, leaving his 50-year-old widowed mother behind before he left for Kursk. They shared that they dreamed of attending university after completing their military service. “I want to go to South Korea,” Ri said.
Arranging the interview with the North Korean POWs required extensive negotiations. When I finally met the two young men and shook hands with them, their palms felt rough and calloused from years of labor and intense military training. As I bid them farewell after the interview, they responded with a firm embrace. Their interviews will be published in two parts. The first installment focuses on Ri, the sniper.
“I haven’t seen my parents once in 10 years of military service. Most soldiers are only sons.”
Captured in late 2024 after being wounded in battle in Kursk, Ri was severely injured in his right arm and jaw. In the initial video released by Ukrainian authorities, he appeared with his jaw tightly wrapped, unable to speak, and looked visibly distressed. By the time I met him a month later in a solitary cell at a Ukrainian POW camp, he had recovered significantly. The compression bandage on his jaw had been removed, and though his speech was still slow and somewhat slurred, he could now speak. A large scar from a gunshot wound was visible on his chin.
His small cell contained a Chinese-made television, playing music in the background. As we began the interview, he picked up the remote control and lowered the volume. “You’re a journalist, right?” he asked, occasionally interrupting the interview with questions. Despite being from Pyongyang, a relatively privileged area in North Korea, he described growing up in difficult circumstances. Fighting back tears, he said, “Now I’ve been sent to war, and I’ve faced death countless times.”
Are both your parents still in Pyongyang?
“(Nods silently.)”
Do you have any siblings?
“I’m an only child.”
Do your parents know where you are?
“No, they don’t. I haven’t had any contact with home since three months before I left.”
When did you leave for Russia?
“We left on October 10. Before that, we were at Jagang Province to help with flood recovery efforts for about a month. Then we were sent to a training ground for training before departing for Russia in early October.”
When did you arrive in Kursk?
“Around mid-December. We trained in Vladivostok first before being transferred here.”
Do you have anything you’d like to say to your parents?
“My parents are very sick. My father has difficulty moving, and my mother struggles with indigestion. If the North Korean government learns of my capture, I fear my parents will be forced to leave Pyongyang.”
(Ukrainian authorities had already released a video of him last month, likely confirming his identity, making his fears all the more real.)
What unit were you assigned to?
“The Reconnaissance General Bureau.”
What was your rank?
“Private. I enlisted in 2015 and was due for discharge soon.”
You served as a reconnaissance sniper. Is that correct?
“Yes.”
What were you told before being sent to Russia?
“I was told I was going there as a student for training. I had no idea I would be participating in combat.”
When did you first learn you would be fighting?
“After arriving in the Kursk region, we were placed in a staging area. That’s when we were informed.”
How did you travel to Kursk?
“We took a train, then a plane, and finally a bus.”
How many soldiers were deployed with you?
“Around 2,500.”
North Korea has not acknowledged that its troops are fighting in Ukraine.
“It’s a secret.”
Why do you think that is?
“It could damage North Korea’s foreign relations.”
Did you face any difficulties working with Russian troops?
“As lower-ranking soldiers, we had little interaction. Everything was handled by higher-ups—ammunition, supplies, clothing. There wasn’t much direct communication between North Korean and Russian soldiers."
How did you communicate with them?
“We used smartphone translation apps.”
Had you used a smartphone before?
“This was my first time using a translation app. I had never interacted with foreigners before.”
Your unit, the Korean People’s Army Special Operations Force (KPASOF), is known for its loyalty.
“It’s highly trained in combat, construction, and other missions. Have you heard of Samjiyon?”
What about it? (Samjiyon is a city that Kim Jong-un redeveloped as a tourist destination.)
“In December 2019, our unit was sent there for construction. The conditions were brutal—freezing cold, waist-deep snow, and no shelters. We had to build barracks while chipping away at frozen ground with pickaxes. It was so cold that urine would freeze the moment it hit the ground."
How does the cold in Kursk compare?
“Samjiyon was much worse. This is nothing.”
How have you been treated since capture? Are you getting enough food?
“My jaw injury hasn’t healed, so I can’t eat hard food. I mostly eat porridge. I’d like to have ramen, but I can’t.”
How did you get injured?
“I joined combat on Jan. 5. The first wave of troops suffered heavy losses due to drone strikes and artillery fire. We relied on Russian artillery support, but they fired behind enemy lines instead of covering us properly. That led to unnecessary casualties.”
How many soldiers were in your unit during the battle?
“Three of us were in a rear attack team. Our company launched a frontal assault while we moved in to disrupt enemy lines. But we walked into an ambush—drones spotted us."
Weren’t you trained to deal with drones?
“We received basic training, but there was no specific strategy for drone warfare. Our training emphasized speed—running, hiding, or shooting drones from the ground. We never learned how to take them down effectively."
Did you start to understand drones better after facing them in combat?
“Yes.”
What happened after the drones spotted you?
“There were three of us. My team leader and another soldier had already been shot. I was the only one left. I fired back while trying to reach cover, but I got hit.”
Where were you wounded?
“A bullet went through my arm, breaking the bone, and then hit my jaw, shattering it. I lost consciousness from blood loss.”
When did you wake up?
“It was night. I had been shot in the early morning. When I tried to move, I felt dizzy and weak. I sat there for a long time before deciding to retrace my steps. Eventually, I ran into fellow North Korean soldiers, though they weren’t from my company. They bandaged my wounds.”
You received emergency treatment, so why didn’t you return with the other North Korean soldiers?
“Well, I tried, but do you know what a ‘devil drone’ is?”
◇“All my comrades died, I was the only survivor... I might have committed suicide if I had a grenade”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a very large drone that carries bombs. It has an infrared sensor, which allows it to fly around at night, searching for targets and dropping bombs. Because of the sensor, it can detect us and drop grenades, so we couldn’t move. We had to hide in a secure area we had already taken over. But around 3 AM, the Ukrainian forces showed up in armored vehicles, firing machine guns and sending soldiers into our position. We had no choice but to retreat, and as we did, another drone attacked, killing one or two of the men who were helping me. I was the only one who survived.”
How many were there, and how did you end up being the only survivor?
“There were six of us, and all five of them died.”
What happened next?
“It was pitch dark, and I didn’t know the area. I thought if I just crossed the next ridge, I’d be in our area, but it turned out I was wrong.”
So, you went the wrong way?
“Yes. After that, I tried to find my way back, but while I was climbing, I was captured. At that time, I couldn’t even use my arms, and I had no weapons — no grenades, no knife. I couldn’t carry anything heavy because of my injuries... So, even if I had tried to resist, it was obvious I would have been captured. If I had a grenade, maybe I would have tried to take my own life.”
Were you ordered to commit suicide?
“In our army, being captured is seen as betrayal. (Which implies that North Korean soldiers are instructed to commit suicide if captured.)”
What are you thinking about your future?
“I have a lot on my mind.”
You must be thinking about your parents a lot.
“I miss my parents so much. (pauses) My duty station was in Sinchon, Hwanghae-namdo, not far from Pyongyang. But even though it was so close, I never got to go home during my military service.”
You never went home in 10 years?
“No. I spoke to my parents over the phone a lot, but I never saw them in person.”
If you go back to the North, things will be difficult for you, won’t they?
“Of course.”
Have you decided what to do next?
“(nods) I’ve made up my mind about 80%.”
What have you decided?
“I’ve been thinking... (pauses) You said you’re a journalist, right? (pauses again) First, I’m planning to apply for asylum and go to South Korea. Do you think they’ll accept me?”
(The Ukrainian authorities mentioned, “Whether the North Korean soldier can go to S. Korea depends on the S. Korean government.”)
Do you have a message for your comrades in Kursk?
“I’m curious about the situation there now. Has Kursk been liberated?” (which implies asking whether the Ukrainian forces had been driven out.)
No, it hasn’t been liberated yet.
“(sighs)”
Is there a possibility that the North Korean forces will be deployed elsewhere, besides Kursk?
“I was told that we were going to liberate Kursk. That area has uranium and nuclear sites, right?”
There are nuclear power plants and reactors there. Are the North Korean soldiers meant to protect them?
“Yes.”
That’s a very important task in Kursk right now, isn’t it?"
“Yes. (nods)”
Is there anyone from your unit you’ve been thinking about?
“Almost everyone I came with has been killed. All the men who came with me are gone. In my unit, all my comrades have died. There’s no one left.”
How many soldiers are in a company?
“About 63 to 65. In my class alone, there were eight of us. They’re all gone. I’m the only one left. It was my first time experiencing real combat. When I saw the bodies of my comrades, a lot of thoughts went through my head. Some blew themselves up (to avoid capture), leaving nothing but headless or half-torn bodies… In the dead of winter, with snow falling like this, they lay there… and the smell of blood still lingers with me.”
Were there any orders regarding handling the bodies of fallen comrades?
“They said we would retrieve them after the battle…”
Did you ever see them being recovered?
“(Nods.)”
(Even if retrieved,) it must have been hard to identify them.
“(Sighs) Ah… What about their parents? In North Korea, most families have only one or two children, meaning nearly all of them were only sons. (Sighs) I was one of the last in my company to be sent into combat. The earlier platoons had already been deployed, suffering heavy casualties and evacuating the wounded. Until then, we had been supporting the frontline units—carrying the injured, transporting supplies—until we had no choice but to fight ourselves. I never expected so many deaths… And when I finally entered the battle, it was brutal. It was my first time seeing someone die up close. Seeing people right beside me get shot or blown apart by grenades… The ones I had just been talking to suddenly said nothing anymore.”
You mentioned a “demonic drone” earlier, like a ghost. You were referring to reconnaissance drones. What other drones were there?
“Suicide drones. We underestimated unmanned aircraft. Drones were the most… devastating. So many were lost because of them.”
Were there security officers from the Ministry of State Security embedded in your unit?
“Each battalion (about 500 soldiers) had one or two.”
Did they strictly enforce ideological and disciplinary control?
“They monitored both our duties and our ideology. Before the battle, one of them told me that all the drone operators in Ukraine’s military were South Korean soldiers.”
Did everyone believe that during combat?
“(Nods.)”
So you fought thinking you were up against not only Ukrainian forces but also South Korean troops?
“(Nods.)”
Did that make you fight even more desperately?
“It was our first real combat experience. The fight wouldn’t be easy. From the start of training, it wasn’t just about physical endurance. It was ideological. Mountain marches, endurance drills, shooting practice… all of it fueled by sheer willpower. Dropping out was considered disgraceful, so we trained like our lives depended on it.”
How many soldiers are in a company?
“About 63 to 65. In my class alone, there were eight of us. They’re all gone. I’m the only one left. It was my first time experiencing real combat. When I saw the bodies of my comrades, a lot of thoughts went through my head. Some blew themselves up (to avoid capture), leaving nothing but headless or half-torn bodies… In the dead of winter, with snow falling like this, they lay there… and the smell of blood still lingers with me.”
Were there any orders regarding handling the bodies of fallen comrades?
“They said we would retrieve them after the battle…”
Did you ever see them being recovered?
“(Shakes head.)”
(Even if retrieved,) it must have been hard to identify them.
“(Sighs) Ah… What about their parents? In North Korea, most families have only one or two children, meaning nearly all of them were only sons. (Sighs) I was one of the last in my company to be sent into combat. The earlier platoons had already been deployed, suffering heavy casualties and evacuating the wounded. Until then, we had been supporting the frontline units—carrying the injured, transporting supplies—until we had no choice but to fight ourselves. I never expected so many deaths… And when I finally entered the battle, it was brutal. It was my first time seeing someone die up close. Seeing people right beside me get shot or blown apart by grenades… The ones I had just been talking to suddenly said nothing anymore.”
You mentioned a ‘demonic drone’ earlier, like a ghost. You were referring to reconnaissance drones. What other drones were there?
“Suicide drones. We underestimated unmanned aircraft. Drones were the most… devastating. So many were lost because of them.”
Were there security officers from the Ministry of State Security embedded in your unit?
“Each battalion (about 500 soldiers) had one or two.”
Did they strictly enforce ideological and disciplinary control?
“They monitored both our duties and our ideology. Before the battle, one of them told me that all the drone operators in Ukraine’s military were South Korean soldiers.”
Did everyone believe that during combat?
“(Nods.)”
So you fought thinking you were up against not only Ukrainian forces but also South Korean troops?
“(Nods.)”
Did that make you fight even more desperately?
“It was our first real combat experience. The fight wouldn’t be easy. From the start of training, it wasn’t just about physical endurance—it was ideological. Mountain marches, endurance drills, shooting practice… all of it fueled by sheer willpower. Dropping out was considered disgraceful, so we trained like our lives depended on it.”
Back in North Korea, did you hear much about South Korea?
“Not much.”
Have you ever listened to South Korean music or watched dramas?
“I listened to some music, but never watched dramas. Watching them could get you arrested.”
What did you originally want to do in life? Feel free to share.
“I wanted to study and go to university after my discharge. My father’s side of the family is full of scientists. I wanted to study, but… my family struggled a lot. We were in such poor conditions, always in financial hardship, constantly suffering. And after joining the military, I endured both physical and mental trauma—so many terrible experiences, facing all sorts of extreme situations. I’ve come so close to death so many times… And now, having barely survived, I’m a prisoner. (Sighs) I just want to live up to my parents’ expectations and fulfill my dream. I want to see it blossom. (Sighs) I’m still young.”
◇Four Key Terms for Understanding North Korean Soldiers
Samjiyon Construction: A large-scale construction project carried out by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Samjiyon, Ryanggang Province, near Paektu Mountain, from 2018 to 2021. Once formally known as the “city of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il,” it has been transformed into “Kim Jong Un’s city.” North Korea claims to have redeveloped it into an international tourist destination by building high-rise hotels.
Korean People’s Army Special Operations Force (KPASOF): North Korea’s elite military units that conduct special operations. It is similar to South Korea’s Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command (ROKA-SWC) but is larger in scale and broader in operational range. The total troop size is estimated to be between 40,000 and 80,000, consisting primarily of young soldiers in their teens and 20s. It has been reported that many of the North Korean troops dispatched to Kursk, Russia—at war with Ukraine since last year—come from this unit.
Jagang Province Floods: A massive flood hit North Korea’s northern Jagang Province in July last year, causing severe damage. Flooding and landslides affected areas around the Amnok and Changja rivers, burying more than 200 homes and resulting in an estimated 1,000 casualties. North Korea’s refusal of international assistance reportedly fueled public dissatisfaction with the Kim Jong Un regime.
Kursk Nuclear Power Plant: A nuclear power facility in Kursk Oblast, a western border region of Ukraine, that currently has two operational reactors. Located about 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, the facility has raised safety concerns following Ukraine’s invasion of Kursk, which has led to conflict in certain areas. It is reported that most of the dispatched North Korean troops have been sent to Kursk.
