The North Korean government has refused to repatriate the remains of its soldiers who were deployed and later killed in Kursk, according to Tanzania Times.

The news outlet reports that, instead, North Korea is attempting to preserve the bodies using a controversial freeze-drying method known as “promession.”

“The North Korean regime has shown a complete lack of respect for its own fallen by refusing to bring them home and, instead, engaging in an unprecedented and morally indefensible effort to freeze-dry their remains,” Tanzania Times said in its report. 

The outlet further emphasized: “This serves as a clear indication that the regime prioritizes its own security over basic human dignity.”

As of now, North Korea has not commented on the report.

The number of North Korean soldiers killed in the Russia-Ukraine war, particularly in the Kursk region, varies across different reports. However, in December 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that over 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded in the ongoing conflict.

Both North Korea and Russia confirmed this week the deployment of 10,000 to 12,000 North Korean troops to Kursk.

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the deployment was ordered by North Korea’s Supreme Leader, Kim Jong Un, as part of the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.

Kim was quoted as referring to the deployed troops as “heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland.”