Pyongyang: As the number of North Korean soldiers killed in the Russo-Ukrainian war continues to rise, Pyongyang is openly reporting on these casualties and using them to bolster the regime's narrative.
According to BBC, the North Korean government has resorted to propaganda techniques to ensure loyalty among its citizens.
Late last month, North Korean state media aired a documentary showcasing the actions of its troops in Ukraine, openly acknowledging the deaths of military personnel. "It's what the North does: ideological indoctrination to educate both current soldiers and the next generation," Min Seong-jae, a professor at Pace University, explained to DW. The documentary included footage of soldiers committing suicide, aligning with the regime's narrative of ultimate loyalty and sacrifice.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been featured in media footage, bowing before portraits of deceased soldiers and consoling their families. Min highlighted that these images aim to convey Kim's apparent anguish over the sacrifices of his soldiers. "By broadcasting images of soldiers pulling grenades on themselves, the regime reinforces the message that absolute devotion to the homeland requires a willingness to die before surrender," Min stated. This portrayal frames the deaths as heroic martyrdom rather than senseless loss.
Two days after the documentary was broadcast, South Korea's National Intelligence Service estimated that out of the 13,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to fight for Russia, 2,000 have been killed. Min pointed out that Pyongyang's message is also directed at Moscow, emphasizing the fearlessness of North Korean soldiers and strengthening the alliance between the two nations. In North Korea's controlled information environment, these images carry a different meaning, depicting death as heroic martyrdom.
Erwin Tan, a professor at Hankuk University, proposed another theory: soldiers may have been forced to die by suicide to avoid capture and interrogation, which could reveal the extent of North Korean involvement in the conflict. Tan noted that North Korea has historically used propaganda and internal security to maintain loyalty, fearing the collapse experienced by former Soviet states in the late 1980s.
A new element of Pyongyang's propaganda is the claim that North Korean troops intervened in Ukraine due to the involvement of the United States, Japan, and South Korea on the Ukrainian side. This narrative resonates with a populace raised on tales of conflict with these nations. "Reframing the Ukraine war as another front in that same struggle transforms it from fighting on Russia's behalf into a direct defense of the homeland," Min said. This framing stirs emotions of pride and resistance, masking the reality that North Korean soldiers are dying for Moscow's interests rather than their own.