Despite neither North Korea nor Russia publicly acknowledging it, reports from American media suggest that North Korea has sent troops to aid Russia in its fight against Ukraine. Some families of fallen soldiers have been informed by North Korea about the deaths of their loved ones in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, although some of them were unaware that their sons were deployed to the front lines and had already perished in the war.
According to Radio Free Asia, a resident from Hamgyongbuk-do province in North Korea told the Korean department of the radio station that some parents of North Korean soldiers sent to aid Russia were informed of their sons’ deaths in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, without knowing that their sons were sent to Russia for combat.
Up to now, both Moscow and Pyongyang have not acknowledged the deployment of North Korean soldiers to participate in the conflict in Russia. The Russian military has even made efforts to conceal this fact.
The people of North Korea have not been officially informed about these events, but the resident mentioned that many North Koreans seem to have learned about it through word of mouth.
The resident stated, “In early January, a couple living in Hwacheon County were instructed to go to Pyongyang without knowing the reason; they are relatives of my good friend.”
A local senior official, the county party secretary, took them to the train station in his own car, provided train tickets, and boxed meals for the train ride. This is rare in North Korea, where most people cannot travel freely.
After the couple arrived in Pyongyang, they received their son’s death certificate and a membership card of the ruling party (the North Korean authorities grant party membership status to soldiers who die in combat), but were not informed of the nature of his mission or the location of his death.
The resident revealed that the authorities requested the couple to remain silent, not to cry loudly, and not to tell any relatives or anyone around them.
After returning home, the couple received special treatment. The county party secretary personally picked them up and requested the husband’s factory to grant him 10 days of special leave.
The resident mentioned that the couple cried all day long. Despite the benefits of their son becoming a party member, they would rather have their son alive. They believe that their son perished due to his participation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
In a previous report by Epoch Times, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a video on January 20 showing a captured North Korean soldier stating that he did not know he was sent to Russia for combat and was fighting against Ukraine. His mother was unaware of his whereabouts.
It is believed that North Korea has sent 12,000 soldiers to the Kursk region of Russia to participate in the fighting. Zelenskyy stated in early January that 3,800 North Korean soldiers have died or been injured.
Translations provided by Epoch Times:
– 大紀元2025年01月22日訊 (Epoch Times, January 22, 2025)
– 来源 (Source): 大紀元記者陳俊村報導 (Reported by Epoch Times Reporter Chen Juncun)
– 来源 (Source): 自由亞洲電台報導 (Reported by Radio Free Asia)
– hashtag (To tag Epoch Times): 大紀元 (Epoch Times)