Nobichenko was an internationalist who, as an officer of the former Soviet Army, covered an exploding grenade with his body in defence of President Kim Il Sung just after Korea's liberation from the Japanese colonial rule.

When he died in December Juche 83 (1994), Kim Jong Il sent a wreath to his bier and a message of condolence to his family with a strong sense of obligation.

The leader said that as Nobichenko was a labor hero of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the DPRK Government should take care of him and his family's life in a responsible manner.

In August 2001 when he toured Russia, Kim Jong Il met family members of Nobichenko and gave gifts to them, looking back upon him.