A vendor at a street market in Kyiv, Ukraine, shows a photo of North Korean military patches on Sunday. He claims the patches, sold for about $52 each, were worn by North Korean soldiers deployed to Kursk in western Russia. Korea Times photo by correspondent Shin Eun-byeol
At a street market near St. Andrew's Church, a popular tourist site in Kyiv, Ukraine, a stall selling military memorabilia stood out among booths offering traditional clothing, crafts and paintings on Sunday (local time).
Among the items drawing the attention of passersby were colorful military insignia representing various units and divisions.
Noticing an Asian visitor, the vendor asked, “Are you interested in North Korean military patches?”
According to the vendor, identified as "A," the North Korean insignia were sourced from Russia's western region of Kursk, a fierce battleground in the ongoing war.
He said the patches are delivered through brokers operating in the area, claiming they originally belonged to North Korean soldiers deployed to Kursk by Russia in late 2024, following Ukraine's surprise advance into the region in August last year.
A vendor at a street market in Kyiv, Ukraine, displays a flag, Sunday, claiming it belonged to a North Korean soldier deployed to Kursk in western Russia. The flag combines elements of the North Korean national flag and the Russian military flag. Korea Times photo by correspondent Shin Eun-byeol
“I get only two or three patches a week,” he said, noting that he has sold about 15 in total so far, highlighting their rarity. Demand is high, despite their steep price of 2,000 hryvnias (70,000 won or $52), which is ten times more expensive than Ukrainian military patches.
“Unlike Ukrainian patches can be mass-produced, the North Korean ones are said to have been actually worn by soldiers. That's why they're so expensive, but they sell out instantly,” he said.
He speculated that part of the appeal lies in the unfamiliarity of North Korea itself. On this particular day, the North Korean patch was out of stock, but A offered to take pre-orders for the next shipment expected later this week.
He also presented another item: a large flag supposedly carried by North Korean troops, featuring a design combining the North Korean national flag and the Russian military flag. Also allegedly retrieved from the Kursk front, it was priced at 4,000 hryvnias (140,000 won), twice the price of the insignia.
When asked how buyers could verify the authenticity of these items, A showed text messages with his broker and photos of multiple North Korean patches. He claimed a portion of the proceeds from selling these items goes to support the Ukrainian military, calling it a form of donation.
A vendor shows a Russian military passport, Sunday, which he claims was obtained from Kursk in western Russia. The passport is priced at 4,000 hryvnias ($105). Korea Times photo by correspondent Shin Eun-byeol
He also insisted the original collectors of the items were Ukrainian soldiers or military personnel. To further support his claims, he displayed a Russian military ID and a passport belonging to a Russian soldier born in 1990, priced at $105.
Although the authenticity of these objects has not been confirmed, the artifacts of North Korean and Russian troops are being treated like war trophies in the heart of Kyiv's market. The items may, in a symbolic way, reflect a desire to claim victory, one patch at a time.
This article by a Kyiv correspondent of the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.