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NIS confirms capture of North Korean soldier by Ukraine in Kursk

Published: 27 Dec. 2024, 11:44

National Intelligence Service [YONHAP]

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed the capture of a North Korean soldier by Ukraine on Friday.

"Through real-time information sharing with allied intelligence agencies, it has been confirmed that a wounded North Korean soldier has been captured alive," the South Korean spy agency told Yonhap News Agency. "We plan to closely monitor the following situation."

Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SOF) reportedly captured the soldier, who had been deployed to Russia, during an operation in Kursk on Thursday, according to Militarnyi, a Ukrainian military news outlet.

A photograph of a soldier was released on a closed Telegram channel.

The man in the photo appears to have suffered significant injuries, although it remains unclear whether he has received medical treatment or what his current condition may be.

The photo from Telegram showing a suspected North Korean soldier, reportedly captured by the Ukrainian military. [YONHAP]

This marks the first time a North Korean soldier has been captured by Ukrainian forces, according to local media reports.

North Korea is reportedly deploying more than 11,000 soldiers to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. These troops have been stationed in Kursk, a region occupied by Russia following a sudden offensive in Ukraine, and have recently been actively deployed to the front lines.

The number of casualties among North Korean troops continues to rise.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (DIU) recently claimed that North Korean and Russian soldiers operating as mixed units in airborne and marine forces have suffered severe, irrecoverable losses due to Ukrainian attacks.

In Kursk, where Russia has struggled for months to regain control, North Korean troops are particularly vulnerable to Ukrainian drones due to the open terrain.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 23 on X that more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or injured in Kursk.

The DIU said that North Korean soldiers have minimal experience in modern warfare, especially drone operations, and continue to rely on outdated tactics reminiscent of World War II.

Ukrainian media outlets report that despite significant casualties, North Korean troops continue to prepare for infantry advances with little change to their conventional strategies.

During a parliamentary intelligence committee audit on Oct. 29, the NIS reportedly responded positively to a suggestion that South Korea should have personnel prepared to communicate in cases where North Korean soldiers are captured or surrender.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]