South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed on January 3 that it is tracking developments regarding reports that North Korea is secretly issuing martyr certificates to families of soldiers killed during deployments to Russia. The NIS stated that there is a “possibility” that such actions are being carried out by the North Korean government, adding that casualties among North Korean troops on the Ukrainian front continue to rise.
In response to an inquiry by the JoongAng Ilbo, the NIS explained, “North Korea has a system in place that issues martyr certificates even during peacetime for soldiers who die due to accidents or other causes. Given the continued occurrence of casualties among deployed troops, it is plausible that the regime is taking such measures, and we are closely monitoring the situation.”
This follows a December 30 report by Radio Free Asia (RFA), which revealed that North Korean authorities have been summoning families of soldiers killed in action to issue martyr certificates while requiring them to sign confidentiality agreements promising not to disclose the deaths. The report cited a source from South Pyongan Province who claimed to have received a certificate for their brother, who had served in a special forces unit deployed to Russia.
The source explained that they had been summoned to attend a provincial event on December 18, where they were presented with the certificate by a party official who described the death as having occurred during “a sacred combat mission for the honor of the nation.” Most of the families who received certificates that day were reportedly relatives of soldiers from the elite Storm Corps, a North Korean special forces unit believed to have been sent to Russia.
The NIS’s acknowledgment of “continued casualties” among North Korean troops suggests that the number of deaths has increased beyond previously reported figures. Earlier estimates by South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies indicated that approximately 100 North Korean soldiers had been killed and another 1,000 injured in Ukraine, totaling around 1,100 casualties.
Despite these growing losses, the North Korean government continues to withhold information about its military deployment to Russia from its citizens. The NIS added that Pyongyang’s secrecy appears to be part of a broader effort to manage public perception and prevent unrest.
Martyr certificates are a form of death acknowledgment issued by the North Korean regime to families of soldiers who die in combat or military training. Families receiving these certificates are entitled to state-provided benefits, including priority access to supplies and preferential treatment in state employment.
The NIS’s latest statement underscores the increasing likelihood that North Korean troops are actively involved in Russia’s war in Ukraine, with growing casualties despite the regime’s continued denial of such operations to its citizens.
BY YOUNGGYO CHUNG, YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
