The last words of North Korean troops killed in Russia

TOKYO — Faced with troop shortages, Russia has deployed more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers to the battlefield in the Ukraine war, and roughly 4,000 of them have been killed or wounded.

What thoughts crossed these soldiers’ minds as they fell on foreign soil?

Nikkei obtained from Special Operations Forces of Ukraine the photographs of notes and personal items left by North Korean soldiers who died in battle. With the assistance of a South Korean translator well versed in North Korean culture, these documents show signs of extreme mental duress, but also loyalty to the Workers’ Party of Korea as well as hope.

In this visual investigation, Nikkei, in cooperation with Ukrainian authorities and a former North Korean soldier, examines these items left by fallen troops.

“I have betrayed the love and grace of the party and turned my back on the grace of the supreme commander,” penned a soldier who left his name — Jong Gyong Hong. His body was found in Russia’s Kursk region, which borders Ukraine. His note, filled with self-criticism, ends with a hopeful resolve to join the “mother party” upon his return.

Among the items retrieved by the Ukrainian military, a note signed “Kim Jong Un,” which reads: “Come back home safe and sound. Never forget that I am always praying for your safe return.” While the authenticity of the note is unconfirmed, it contains a clear message of encouragement to the soldiers.

NIKKEI