North Korean Soldiers in Russia Reportedly Engage in Unrestricted Internet Use, Including Adult Content

North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia to support Russian operations near Ukraine have been engaging with online content they have never accessed before, including large amounts of adult content, according to reports. This revelation comes from Gideon Rachman, the chief foreign affairs commentator for the Financial Times, who cited a “usually reliable source” in a post on X. Rachman stated that the North Korean soldiers, who have historically had highly restricted internet access, are now “gorging on pornography” due to their newfound unfettered access to the internet.

The deployment of approximately 10,000 to 12,000 North Korean soldiers to the Kursk region marks the first major deployment of North Korean forces outside Asia in decades. In North Korea, internet access is severely limited, with only high-level officials and foreigners granted access to international websites. The general population is restricted to Kwangmyong, a heavily regulated intranet system primarily containing government-controlled news and propaganda.

The U.S. Department of Defense has not confirmed these reports. Pentagon spokesperson Army Lt. Col. Charlie Dietz stated that the department is focused on understanding North Korea’s broader involvement in Russian military operations rather than the soldiers’ internet habits. “As entertaining as that sounds, I can’t confirm any North Korean internet habits or virtual ‘extracurriculars’ in Russia,” Dietz said.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed that Ukrainian forces have engaged in combat with North Korean soldiers for the first time, describing these encounters as small-scale clashes. This development marks a new phase in the conflict, with President Volodymyr Zelensky noting that the battles with North Korean soldiers open a new page of instability in the world.