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Russian military anthem sung — in Korean — in latest training video from North

Published: 02 May. 2025, 12:57

Marina Kim, a Russian Korean journalist, revealed a video of North Korean troops participating in joint military training with Russian forces on Russian soil on Telegram on April 30. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A video showing North Korean troops participating in joint military training with Russian forces on Russian soil has been revealed, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported Wednesday.

The video also shows North Korean soldiers singing military songs together — a display seemingly intended to emphasize emotional solidarity between the two nations.

The footage was originally posted on Telegram by Marina Kim, a Russian Korean journalist. In the video, Kim is seen visiting North Korean soldiers in the midst of training exercises.

The North Korean soldiers were shown operating in small tactical units, maneuvering through forested areas and securing zones as part of a modern warfare drill. The exercises included counterdrone tactics and electronic warfare training — areas that reflect an emphasis on adapting to contemporary combat conditions.

A simple phrase book designed to help the two militaries communicate was also introduced. The booklet contains basic commands such as “Hello,” “Get ready” and “Open fire,” written in both Korean and Russian.

Footage showed the North Korean troops dining on traditional Russian meals, including borscht. Red pepper powder, a staple of Korean cuisine, was also prepared at the dining site, suggesting an effort to accommodate the soldiers’ tastes.

North Korean troops are shown singing Russian military songs in a video released by Marina Kim, a Russian Korean journalist, on Telegram on April 30. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The soldiers reportedly slept and trained in heated trenches and used tablets to study instructional content.

In one scene, a North Korean soldier sings a Korean-translated version of the Russian wartime song “Katyusha,” which includes the line, “Apple trees and pear trees were a flower / River mist was rising all around. / Young Katyusha went strolling by the hour / On the steep banks.”

The fact that this song, which was considered symbolic of the Soviet army during World War II, is later sung together by North Korean and Russian troops, seemingly gestures toward emotional solidarity between the two militaries.

“If this real-world training and combat experience spreads throughout the North Korean military, it could transform the Korean People’s Army into one of the most battle-hardened and elite forces in Asia,” said Kim.

“Once these soldiers return and begin training others, the North Korean military may become the most experienced and best-trained force in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]