North Korean POWs in Ukraine Speak Out on Deployment in a Chosun Daily Interview

Two North Korean prisoners of war, captured by Ukrainian forces last month, have spoken exclusively to the Chosun Ilbo from a POW camp in Ukraine. The publication revealed the interview on February 19.

This marks the first time North Korean soldiers deployed to fight for Russia have been interviewed by the media.

Mr. Ri (26), a reconnaissance sniper, and Mr. Baek (21), a rifleman, were sent to Kursk, Russia, in late 2024 under the pretense of “training,” only to find themselves in combat. Ri stated their unit was under North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau rather than the elite Storm Corps.

Both soldiers said North Korean security agents monitored the troops, spreading false claims that South Korean forces were operating Ukrainian drones. “They told us all Ukrainian military drone operators were actually South Korean soldiers,” Ri said.

Captured in January 2025, Ri suffered severe injuries to his right arm and jaw. “There were six of us, and all five of them died,” he recalled. “If I had a grenade, maybe I would have taken my own life.”

Ri described the brutal combat conditions, particularly Ukrainian drone strikes. “We received basic training, but there was no strategy for drone warfare. We were taught to run, hide, or shoot them from the ground,” he explained. “We underestimated unmanned aircraft. Drones were the most devastating.” He recounted being wounded: “A bullet went through my arm, breaking the bone, and then hit my jaw, shattering it. I lost consciousness from blood loss.”

The prisoners revealed their battalion included ideological officers who enforced discipline and spread misinformation. “They told us South Korean forces were fighting alongside Ukraine,” Ri said, noting this made North Korean troops fight harder.

Reflecting on the war, Ri expressed disillusionment and fear for his future. “Almost everyone I came with has been killed. All the men who came with me are gone.” He added, “In North Korea, most families have only one or two children—nearly all were only sons.”

Asked about his next steps, Ri hesitated before stating: “I’m planning to apply for asylum and go to South Korea. Do you think they’ll accept me?”

Ukrainian officials have not commented on the fate of the POWs, saying their future will depend on diplomatic decisions.

Previously, South Korea has declared its readiness to accept any North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces who express a desire to relocate to the South, in line with its constitutional principles and international legal standards.