In North Korea, only its leader, Kim Jong Un, has direct access to the Internet, leaving most citizens digitally isolated, according to a report from Daily NK.

However, North Korean soldiers sent to Ukraine to support Russia recently experienced unrestricted internet access for the first time—and they reportedly fixated on pornography. According to the Hindustan Times and NDTV World, rather than exploring anime or movies, the soldiers were drawn to adult content online, a novelty for most North Koreans who have never used the internet.

Gideon Rachman, a foreign affairs commentator for the Financial Times, shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he heard from a “reliable source” about the soldiers' newfound online activities. "A usually reliable source tells me that the North Korean soldiers who were deployed to Russia have never had unfettered access to the internet before. As a result, they are gorging on pornography," Rachman wrote. He provided no further details on how his source knew about the soldiers' browsing habits.

When asked about these reports, U.S. Defense Department spokesperson Lt. Col. Charlie Dietz declined to comment on any “North Korean internet habits,” noting that questions about internet access would be better directed at Moscow.

As Moscow’s relationship with North Korea strengthens, Russia has deployed over 7,000 North Korean soldiers, equipped with AK-12 rifles and other assault weapons, to the Ukraine border. The North Korean troops reportedly received training at five sites in Russia to prepare for a potentially extended mission in support of Russia’s efforts in Ukraine.