ID Card Carried by North Korean Soldier Who Died on Kursk
Firearm Issuance Date Recorded as October 10
Amid suspicions that Russia has issued 'forged identification cards' to North Korean soldiers participating in the Ukraine war to conceal their identities, related photos supporting this claim have been released.
Photo of a forged ID card presumed to have been issued by Russia to a North Korean soldier. Ukraine Evocation Info
On the 21st, Radio Free Asia (RFA) cited the local Ukrainian media Evocation Info, reporting that forged identification cards containing false information were found among the belongings of North Korean soldiers who died in Kursk. The released photos showed marks resembling bullet holes and bloodstains. The ID card indicated that the holder was 'Kim Kanbolat Albertovich,' born on April 13, 1997, from the Tuva Republic. It was also recorded that Kim was a soldier born in the village of Bayantala, who received secondary technical education in 2016 and worked in roofing before being conscripted into the 55th Mountain Infantry Brigade of Tuva.
However, Evocation Info explained that Kim from the Tuva Republic does not exist. The ID card stated that the soldier had served since 2016, but the media noted that the soldier first received a weapon on October 10, 2024, and the military ID number was issued the following day. Furthermore, the ID card lacked some essential information such as a photo.
The media stated, "The only verified fact in the document is the signature on the first page, which reveals that the deceased soldier's real name is 'Ri Dae-hyuk'." The name 'Ri Dae-hyuk' was uniquely written in a different handwriting on the ID card. RFA added, "Although there have been multiple announcements that Russia issued forged IDs to hide the deployment of North Korean troops, this is the first time evidence confirming this has been made public."
However, the authenticity of this ID card has not yet been clearly verified. David Maxwell, Deputy Director of the Asia-Pacific Strategy Center, told RFA, "It is difficult to judge," and pointed out, "Even if Russia did give forged IDs to North Korean soldiers, it could backfire." He added, "If soldiers are captured or killed, their identities will be revealed. Since it is well known that North Korea is supporting Russia, disguising them as Russian or other ethnicities serves no practical purpose."
Meanwhile, earlier in October, the National Intelligence Service officially confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia and revealed that Russia and North Korea issued forged IDs to residents of Siberian Yakutia and Buryatia regions of East Asian descent to conceal the deployment.
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