North Korean Soldiers Exposed to Internet Access, Allegedly Hooked on Pornography During Ukraine Conflict
North Korean soldiers, who have recently joined Russian forces on the front lines in Ukraine, are reportedly using their newfound internet access for an unexpected pastime—viewing large amounts of pornography. This is the first time that these soldiers have been exposed to the internet, a rare privilege in North Korea, where access to the web is strictly controlled and monitored by the government.
According to reports, the soldiers, deployed to assist Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine, may have begun indulging in online content that has long been inaccessible to them. This development reportedly took place shortly after they arrived in Ukraine, where they encountered the freedom of internet access for the first time. However, a Pentagon official could not confirm the veracity of these claims.
The soldiers, who are part of a broader alliance between North Korea and Russia, are involved in combat operations in Ukraine, but they have seemingly encountered unexpected distractions before even facing the conflict directly. The exposure to the internet has been described as a significant shift for these military personnel, who are typically shielded from the outside world by North Korean censorship.
While the specific details of how widespread this behavior is among the soldiers remain unclear, the situation highlights the contrast between the strict control over the flow of information in North Korea and the more open, albeit chaotic, digital environment of wartime Ukraine.