South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) has confirmed that Ukraine captured two North Korean soldiers on January 9 during a battle in the Kursk region of Russia.
The soldiers, both wounded, are currently in Ukrainian custody, receiving medical treatment and undergoing interrogation.
Ukraine's SBU intelligence agency had released a video on January 10 showing the two men lying in hospital beds — one with bandaged hands and a broken leg, the other with a bandaged jaw.
According to the SBU and The Moscow Times, the soldiers revealed during questioning that they were trained, experienced troops sent to Russia under the guise of participating in military training exercises.
Details of the Capture
Seoul's NIS corroborated the Ukrainian report, stating, “We have confirmed that the Ukrainian military captured two North Korean soldiers on January 9.”
According to the NIS, one of the soldiers disclosed that he had arrived in Russia in November for what he believed was training, only to find himself deployed to active combat.
The captured soldier reportedly revealed that North Korean units had suffered "significant losses during battle." He also endured days without food or water before being taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces.
Kyiv, the United States, and South Korea have accused Pyongyang of sending more than 10,000 soldiers to support Moscow. While North Korea and Russia have remained silent on these allegations, Ukraine continues to gather intelligence on the matter.
The NIS has pledged to share information with the SBU to better understand North Korea’s role in aiding Russian forces.
