Kim Jong Un reveals North Korea’s extreme battlefield doctrine during speech

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has openly commended troops who chose suicide over capture during clashes with Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region. This statement provides the most explicit confirmation to date of what officials and intelligence bodies have consistently identified as one of Pyongyang’s most radical combat doctrines.

According to comments released Monday by North Korean state media KCNA, and initially reported by Reuters, Kim paid tribute to soldiers who “unhesitatingly chose the path of self-destruction and suicide” instead of surrendering. He made these remarks while speaking to Russian officials and grieving families at a memorial event for North Korean service members who died in battle.

“It is not only the heroes who unhesitatingly chose the path of self-destruction and suicide to defend great honor, but also those who fell while charging at the forefront of assault battles,” Kim said.

These statements represent the first instance where Kim has explicitly recognized the extreme measures North Korean soldiers, deployed with Russian forces, have taken to evade capture by Ukrainian troops.

An estimated 14,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Russia’s western Kursk region to bolster Moscow’s military campaign, as reported by South Korean, Ukrainian, and Western officials cited by Reuters. These same officials indicate that the forces sustained immense casualties, with over 6,000 North Korean soldiers thought to have died in some of the conflict’s fiercest engagements.

For several months, intelligence reports, evidence from the battlefield, and accounts from defectors have consistently indicated a severe directive: North Korean soldiers were instructed to detonate grenades or commit suicide rather than face capture.

This policy seemingly applied even to the small number of survivors. The Guardian reported that two North Korean soldiers, captured by Ukrainian forces and currently held as prisoners of war in Kyiv, both allegedly tried to detonate themselves but were prevented by severe injuries. One of these captured soldiers has reportedly voiced remorse for not fulfilling those commands.

Kim’s recent address seemingly elevates these battlefield allegations into an officially lauded state doctrine.

“Those who writhed in frustration at failing to fulfill their duty as soldiers rather than suffering the agony of their bodies being torn apart by bullets and shells — these too can be called the party’s loyal warriors and patriots,” Kim added.

This declaration highlights the profound ideological pressure exerted on North Korean forces, whose allegiance to the regime seemingly encompasses self-destruction in addition to combat.

The disclosure also emphasizes the increasingly close military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.

South Korean intelligence assessments indicate that North Korea has supplied Russia with both troops and munitions, in exchange for economic assistance and military technology.

Reuters contributed to this report.