Vietnam Honors North Korean Pilots Who Fought in Vietnam War

The project follows a meeting in Hanoi between Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Truong Thang and North Korean Ambassador Ri Sung Guk. This rare public acknowledgement brings renewed focus to a clandestine chapter of Cold War history, during which North Korean pilots operated Soviet-made MiG-17 jets to bolster North Vietnamese air defenses. While the two nations have maintained diplomatic ties for decades, the extent of Pyongyang’s military participation has rarely been discussed in official channels.

The site in Bac Ninh province serves as the final resting place for 14 air force personnel killed between 1967 and 1968, ranging in age from 19 to 40. Although their remains were repatriated to North Korea in 2002, the cemetery remains a physical link to the conflict. According to the Defence Ministry’s newspaper, Quan Doi Nhan Dan, the Vietnamese government intends to preserve the memory of these "martyrs" who provided critical assistance during the struggle for national independence.