Letter from a Former North Korean Soldier, Dispatched to Russia and Now a Deserter - Part 1

Dear North Korean Soldiers Deployed to Russia, at the Crossroads of Life and Death

Lee Nam-su

Former North Korean Soldier Dispatched to Russia

My Fellow Korean People's Army Soldiers, Likely Longing for Home from the Battlefields of Russia

I never imagined I’d be reaching out to you like this. I hope you’re all managing as best you can. With the weather turning colder, I worry if you’re able to stay warm. Russia’s climate is much harsher than back home in North Korea, and I know adjusting can’t be easy—it must be challenging for many of you in such a foreign place. My name is Lee Nam-su, a former soldier who left Russia five years ago and now lives freely while attending university. I enlisted in North Korea’s military back in 2009, so I’m technically your senior. I want to speak openly and honestly with you, with no pretense.

Hearing recent news reports brought an unexpected shock. I learned that you have been taken to the brutal battleground of the Russia-Ukraine war, often called a “human slaughterhouse.” I couldn’t bear the anxiety this news stirred, which is why I’m reaching out. My hometown is Waudo District in Nampho City, known for its port and the Yellow Sea Water Barrage. I grew up there, attended primary and middle school, back when they weren’t split into junior and senior middle schools like they are now. After graduation, I joined the 7th Bureau, which might be familiar to you but differs from your Storm Corps. While your unit likely trains in martial arts from early morning, our work started with shovels and pickaxes. It may have changed since, but I’m sure the hard labor hasn’t eased.

On the 22nd of last month, North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia’s Far East chat outside a building

in the Primorye region. / Captured from Telegram channel Astra

I was fortunate to be dispatched to Russia for military service in 2018. At first, the idea of traveling abroad to earn foreign currency was exciting. The thought of boarding a plane and going to another country felt thrilling. But over time, I realized that the capitalist world I’d heard about was very different from the one I was experiencing. In a free country, you control your fate, and you enjoy the results of your own hard work. You don’t have to do things you don’t want to. But in North Korea, I was expected to be bound by the Party’s orders and to comply with collective demands. I came to see this as a serious violation of freedom and human rights.

In Russia, I worked harder than the locals—often twice as hard—but all my earnings went to the Party’s funds. This might seem normal in North Korea, but it would be unacceptable in a free, democratic nation, where it would be punishable by law. Like many, I was led to believe that South Korea was impoverished, but this was a complete lie; the real poverty lies in North Korea. Slogans like 'No Envy in the World' and 'Protect the Revolutionary Leadership with Our Lives' exist only to serve the Paektu bloodline. You are likely still undergoing indoctrination with Life Review Sessions, Greatness Education, and lectures. Why do they do this? Because they fear the truth. Lies continue to cover more lies to sustain their rule. Nothing in this world is worth more than your own life. The world without you is meaningless. I sincerely hope that you, at a similar crossroads, will choose not to blindly follow a dictator’s orders and instead live a life that honors your humanity.

Right now, you are in the midst of the devastating conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This war isn’t simply between Russia and Ukraine; it’s a confrontation with the world. Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine has led to international isolation and sanctions. Over the last three years, 700,000 Russian soldiers have died, with an average of 1,127 casualties per day.

Putin, desperate for support, has called on North Korea to send mercenaries, labeling it a ‘blood alliance’ or ‘strategic partnership.’ The fact that Russia, with over 140 million people, would seek help from North Korea, with only about 25 million, reflects the extent of Russia’s military depletion. Despite its vast land—over 150 times the size of North Korea—Russia struggles in this war because people worldwide support Ukraine in the fight for justice and freedom. Truth and justice cannot be defeated.

This war was never your choice. It isn’t your war. You need to recognize that your lives are being sacrificed by both the North Korean and Russian regimes. Putin’s ambition for power and Kim Jong-un’s pursuit of foreign currency are sending you to die on the battlefield. For the past three years, over a thousand Russian soldiers have perished daily. And now, you are at the forefront of this tragedy. Fighting in Russian uniforms under a minor ethnic group’s name, following orders from Russian officers—is this truly the life you deserve? Think deeply about what you stand to gain from this war, what is truly worth risking your life for. 

To Kim Jong-un and Putin, you are tools for their power and profit. Right now, Kim Jong-un is exchanging your sacrifices for Russian goods, technology, and luxuries. Your youth and lives are mere bargaining chips in their dealings.

I hope you find the courage and hope to break the chains of this oppressive bondage. That’s all I have to say for now, and I look forward to connecting again soon. Take care.