A North Korean soldier’s diary reveals suffering and sacrifice in Ukraine

North Korean soldiers are expected to be live bait for Ukrainian drones. The grim tactic is revealed in a crude, blue-ink sketch in a fallen North Korean soldier’s diary. The drawing shows a stick-figure soldier labelled “bait” standing still to lure a drone so that two of his comrades can try to shoot it down, reports the Wall Street Journal.

There are detailed combat instructions. Soldiers are advised to maintain a 23-foot distance from drones when acting as bait and to run towards sites previously hit by artillery fire, as they are unlikely to be attacked again.

Soldiers’ lives

The diary, taken off a slain soldier on December 21, sheds light on the lives, tactics, and indoctrination of North Korean troops sent to help Russia in the Ukraine war.

The diary’s entries include details of life on the frontline, combat strategies, and fervent expressions of undying allegiance to the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The diarist declares he is prepared to lay down his life for the supreme leader.

Experts confirm the diary’s authenticity, citing the handwriting and language as consistent with North Korean penmanship and propaganda.

Death in a firefight

The soldier who wrote the diary, identified as Jong Kyong Hong, perished alongside two compatriots in a firefight with Ukrainian special forces near Pogrebki, a village in Russia’s Kursk region says the Wall Street Journal.

He wrote about his love for his friends, his parents and his homeland. On December 9, just two weeks before his death, he celebrated the birthday of a friend whom he called “my closest comrade”. He dearly missed his home and his parents. Longing for his family, he recalled, “I left the warm embrace of my dear father and mother.”

North Korea sent about 12,000 troops to Russia’s Kursk region in October, initially assigning them to trench-digging and logistical support. By December, they were deployed in combat, sustaining heavy losses. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, some 4,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured since then, with over 1,000 deaths reported in the final week of December alone.

Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has publicly confirmed the presence of North Korean soldiers in Russia, where they were sent after the two countries signed a mutual defence pact in Pyongyang.

Reckless troops

North Korean soldiers face severe challenges: insufficient training, inadequate integration with Russian forces, and recklessness. Ukrainian military footage shows them crossing open fields without cover or support, their dark uniforms stark against the snowy landscape. Many reportedly refuse capture, choosing suicide or being killed by their own comrades when injured.

The slain soldier’s diary reveals unstinting loyalty to the North Korean leader. He quotes verbatim from Kim Jong Un’s speeches, whose words apparently the soldiers have to memorise.

As reports emerge of additional North Korean troops being readied for deployment, the diary offers a harrowing glimpse into the lives of soldiers thrust into a foreign war. It is a stark testament to their sacrifice and loyalty.

Jong Kyong Hong, the diarist, was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. “Even at the cost of my life, I will carry out the Supreme Commander’s orders without hesitation,” he wrote. “I will show the world the bravery and sacrifice of Kim Jong Un’s special forces.”  He paid with his life and kept his word.