＜Inside N.Korea＞Information spreads that 'Kim Jong-un regime received $5,000 per fallen soldier from Russia' — Authorities conduct massive crackdown, calling it 'rumors' (Revised version)

Recently in northern regions of North Korea, information is spreading that the Russian government paid Kim Jong-un regime $5,000 for each soldier killed in action after being dispatched to Russia.North Korean security authorities are conducting a massive crackdown, dismissing it as rumors. (ISHIMARU Jiro / KANG Ji-won)

◆Rumors Also Spread That Workers Sent to Russia Are Being Deployed to the Battlefield

“I heard the information started circulating around Rason (in North Hamgyong Province) that our government received $5,000 per fallen soldier from Russia. It's spread so widely now that practically everyone knows about it. The Ministry of State Security (secret police) is conducting a massive crackdown, saying ‘It's a rumor. Anyone who talks about it will be arrested without question.’"

A reporting partner living in the northern region conveyed this on September 26. They say authorities are even examining the mobile phone communication records of those under investigation.

Another reporting partner in North Hamgyong Province said that local recruitment of workers to be sent to Russia began in September, but "There are reports that a tremendous number of soldiers have died in Russia. About 80 workers are being sent from the local area, but there are rumors they'll be deployed to the battlefield, so families are extremely worried."

◆Authorities Explain to Residents That 'the Combat Opponent Is South Korea'

South Korea's intelligence agency, the National Intelligence Service, revealed to the South Korean National Assembly in early September that the Kim Jong-un regime has deployed 15,000 people to Russia, with an estimated 2,000 deaths among them. Additionally, the UK Ministry of Defense announced in June that an estimated 6,000 or more had been killed or wounded.

Another reporting partner living in North Hamgyong Province reported at the end of August that "Authorities are explaining that those who fought in Russia were up against South Korean troops deployed as support forces."

※ASIAPRESS communicates with its reporting partners through Chinese cell phones smuggled into North Korea.

※Correction
"We are correcting an error in our September 30, 2025 article '<Breaking News: Inside N. Korea> Information spreads about $5,000 payment for war casualties in Russia — Authorities conduct massive crackdown calling it "rumors"'. The original article stated that families of fallen soldiers were receiving $5,000 payments, but we are correcting this to reflect that the Russian government paid the Kim Jong-un regime $5,000 per fallen soldier. This correction stems from a miscommunication within ASIAPRESS. We sincerely apologize for the error. The corrections to this article were made on October 1, 2025."

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