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Ukraine holds funeral for Korean and U.S. volunteers killed while fighting Russia

Published: 27 Nov. 2025, 12:37 Updated: 27 Nov. 2025, 16:17

Servicemen pay tribute next to the coffins of slain Korean and U.S. volunteer soldiers of the 2nd International Legion during a farewell ceremony on Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Nov. 25 amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. [AFP/YONHAP]

A Korean man who volunteered to fight for Ukraine died in a battle with Russian forces and was honored in a public memorial in Kyiv, Ukraine, Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.

The Foreign Ministry said officials in Ukraine held a funeral for the man, and a consular officer from the Korean Embassy attended the ceremony.

Photos taken by media outlets showed two coffins in Kyiv’s Independence Square.

Ukrainian soldiers knelt in front of them, one draped with a Korean flag and the other with a U.S. flag, with the Chosun Ilbo reporting that Ukrainian officials confirmed a volunteer from the United States was also killed.

The ministry did not release the Korean fighter’s identity. Local reports identified him as a man surnamed Kim who served with the International Legion.

Those reports said he was killed in May during fighting with Russian forces in Novopoltavka, a village in eastern Donetsk.

A woman pays tribute next to the coffin of a slain Korean volunteer soldier of the 2nd International Legion during a farewell ceremony on Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Nov. 25, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. [AFP/YONHAP]

Between 15 and 20 Koreans are believed to have joined Ukraine’s forces since the war began, and local estimates say about seven have been killed.

Russia’s defense ministry said last year that 15 Koreans are fighting on Ukraine’s side and five have died. Moscow did not provide evidence for its claim.

No Koreans are known to have joined Russian troops.

Kim’s body is expected to be repatriated to Korea after a funeral service at a church in Ukraine.

Korean nationals are banned from entering Ukraine without special approval because Seoul designated the country a no-travel zone shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Unauthorized travel can violate the Passport Act.

Rhee Keun, a YouTuber and former Korean Navy SEAL, returned to Korea two months after volunteering to fight for Ukraine in 2022. He claimed to have come back for treatment for injuries and voluntarily turned himself in to the police.

Several other Koreans are still believed to be fighting on the front line.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM CHUL-WOONG [[email protected]]