South Korea Confirms Ukraine’s Capture of Two North Korean Soldiers in Russia

North Koreans in Ukraine, Kursk, South Korea

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has confirmed Ukraine’s account of capturing two injured North Korean soldiers in Russia, lending weight to Kyiv’s claims. According to the NIS, the soldiers were apprehended on Jan. 9 during combat in the Kursk region of Russia.

Ukraine, along with the US and South Korea, has accused North Korea of deploying over 10,000 soldiers to assist Russian forces.

A video released by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on Saturday, Jan. 11, showed the two captured men in a hospital. One had bandaged hands, while the other had a bandaged jaw, and a doctor noted that one soldier also suffered a broken leg.

The SBU reported that the men identified themselves as experienced North Korean soldiers, with one claiming he had been sent to Russia for training, not combat.

“Our soldiers captured North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region. Two wounded soldiers were taken to Kyiv, where they are now cooperating with investigators from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU),” Zelensky shared via Telegram.

Zelensky also shared photos of the captives and the military ID of one soldier.

He acknowledged the challenge of the capture, saying that Russian and DPRK troops often finish off their wounded comrades to eliminate evidence of North Korea’s involvement in the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine.

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Two ageing tankers were hit by storms in mid-December in the Kerch Strait between Crimea and southern Russia, with one breaking apart and sinking and the other running aground.

The NIS corroborated the account, stating that one soldier admitted to receiving military training in Russia after his arrival in November. Initially, he believed his deployment was for training but realized upon arrival that he was being sent into battle.

He also revealed that North Korean forces had faced heavy losses in combat and endured severe conditions, with one soldier going without food or water for several days before being captured.

The NIS pledged to collaborate with Ukraine’s intelligence agency to monitor North Korean involvement in the war.

Neither Russia nor North Korea has commented on the reports. Military cooperation between the two nations has strengthened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. South Korea estimates that North Korea has already suffered significant casualties in Ukraine, with Seoul’s intelligence suggesting additional deployments are being prepared.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has publicly expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, with statements celebrating their alliance and referencing the war.