North Korean soldier’s notebook reveals ‘human bait’ anti-drone tactics

The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (SSO) have released an image of a fallen North Korean soldier’s notebook that appears to show tactics for dealing with Ukrainian drones. Translated text from the notebook indicates that they have developed a three-man “human bait” tactic to lure in and destroy them.

The notebook was allegedly found on the body of Jong Kyong Hong in Russia’s Kursk region. “In the notebook of a North Korean special forces soldier eliminated in the Kursk region, he detailed how to bait and capture/destroy a Ukrainian drone,” the SSO explained in its Telegram post (translated from Ukrainian).

“In his notebook, Private Gyeong Hong Jong, before his fatal encounter with SSO operators, outlined tactics for downing UAVs and hiding from Ukrainian artillery,” they added.

As the SSO adds on its post, it is unclear if this is an organically developed tactic by North Korean troops or one taught to them under Russian instruction.

Under one section of the notebook titled “How to neutralize a drone,” Jong Kyong Hong explained, “When a drone is detected, form a group of three (3 people). The person baiting the drone keeps a distance of 7 meters, while the shooters maintain a distance of 10-12 meters.”

Human bait drone kill teams

This particular note is accompanied by a basic stickman sketch showing one person standing in front of a drone. The sketch also shows the other two members of the “kill team” positioned to the side or behind the drone to take shoots at it.

“If the bait remains stationary, the drone will stop its movement. At this moment, the shooter neutralizes the drone,” he also wrote.

His notebook also included actions to take to avoid artillery barrages. “If caught in a strike zone, designate the next regrouping point (for the group), split into small groups, and exit the strike zone,” he wrote.

“Another method: since artillery does not strike the same point repeatedly, hide in the spot of a previous impact and then leave the strike zone,” he wrote.

This interesting piece of captured battlefield intelligence comes in light of recent accusations that North Korean troops were more of a hindrance than an asset. Allegedly, this is primarily due to a combination of their lack of active frontline service and apparent complete ignorance of drone warfare.

“They lacked counter-drone equipment, and with little cover, they were easy targets for Ukrainian FPV operators,” said a fellow at the Washington-based Center for European Policy Analysis, Federico Borsari.

Heavy losses for North Korea

“Many were killed while trying to hide among tall, dry grass crops and leafless tree lines,” he said. “Snow –- and Ukraine’s thermal sensors -– made them easily identifiable as most of those soldiers didn’t wear white camouflage,” he added.

By all accounts, North Korean conscripts are being punished heavily for this lack of preparedness, with a reported 3,000 being killed in just one week near Kursk. For reference, North Korea has deployed around 11,000 soldiers to help support Russian efforts in the Ukrainian theatre.

However, as this notebook indicates, these losses appear to have inspired North Korean units to learn fast and adapt accordingly.

“After serious losses, North Korean units began setting up additional observation posts to detect drones,” the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DUI) wrote in a post to its official Telegram channel.