TAIPEI, Taiwan – A North Korean soldier captured in Russia has given the first public account of conditions supporting Russian forces, struggling with a language barrier, inadequate support and Ukrainian drones on what he had been told was a training mission.
The soldier, identified as Ri and aged 26, told South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo newspaper that he was worried about the consequences for his family if North Korean authorities found out he had been taken prisoner, and he said he would like to apply for asylum in South Korea, if it would take him.
Ri, from Pyongyang, was among an estimated 12,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia’s Kursk region to fight Ukrainian forces who occupied parts of the area in August. He said he got to Kursk with about 2,500 other North Koreans, by train, plane and bus.
Neither Russia nor North Korea have acknowledged the presence of the North Koreans.
“We were told we were here for training, not to fight,” Ri told the South Korean daily in an interview, published on Wednesday, at an unidentified detention center in Ukraine.
“When we arrived in Kursk, we were informed otherwise.”
Ri said he was part of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, an intelligence agency, and had served in the military since 2015. He was part of a three-man unit conducting disruption operations when they were attacked from the air.
“The drone spotted us, and both my commander and another soldier were shot. I tried to reach cover while returning fire but was also hit,” he said.
“I had never seen someone die before. Seeing friends get shot or blown apart by grenades … it stays with you.”
His arm was shattered and he was also wounded in the jaw in the drone attack that killed his two comrades and knocked him out cold as darkness fell. He was being taken back to the rear by another North Korean unit but they were unable to escape the drones.
Eventually, all of his rescuers were killed and he was captured, he said.
Ri’s account of conditions in Kursk confirmed Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence reports of heavy casualties among the North Koreans, which Ri attributed to drones and inadequate Russian artillery support.
Smartphone app
Ri also confirmed problems with communication between North Korean and Russian forces.
He said interaction with the Russians was minimal, as direct contacts were mostly handled at higher command levels. Supplies, such as ammunition and winter gear, were distributed through command structures, further reducing the need for direct contacts.
When conversations did occur, they relied on translation applications, Ri explained.
“We used smartphone translators to communicate,” Ri said. “It was the first time I ever used such technology. In North Korea, we never interacted with foreigners.”
Ukraine reported in early February an estimated 4,000 casualties among the North Koreans, saying they proved to be easy targets for Ukrainian drones since they were unfamiliar with drone warfare and were struggling to adapt.
Ri said the North Korean troops were told that Ukrainian drones were operated by South Korean soldiers, reinforcing their will to fight. There is no evidence that South Korea is involved in the conflict.
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Currently in Ukrainian custody, Ri said he had been recovering from his wounds but struggling with solid food as he pondered his future.
Ri said he had once hoped to attend university, following in the footsteps of scientist relatives, but economic struggles forced him into the military.
And now he was leaning towards trying to get to South Korea.
“I’ve made an 80% decision,” Ri said. “I want to apply for asylum … and go to South Korea. Will they accept me?”
While his fate depends on Ukrainian and South Korean authorities, Ri was also concerned about repercussions for his family in Pyongyang.
“If the government finds out I was taken as a prisoner, my parents will not be able to stay in Pyongyang,” he said.
“I miss my parents unbearably … I want to live up to their expectations and make something of myself … I’m still young.”
South Korea said on Wednesday it would accept Ri. Under South Korea’s constitution North Koreans soldiers are recognized as citizens.
Edited by Mike Firn.