South Korea’s intelligence agency has confirmed the capture of a wounded North Korean soldier by Ukrainian forces, in an incident that marks the first known case of its kind. According to the South Korean National Intelligence Service, this information was verified through real-time data sharing with an allied intelligence agency.
“Through real-time information sharing with a friendly nation’s intelligence organization, we confirmed the capture of a wounded North Korean soldier and plan to thoroughly review further developments,” the National Intelligence Service said in a statement.
The announcement comes after the Ukrainian news portal Militarnyi, specialized in military topicsduring an operation in the Kursk region, located on Russia’s western front line.
Although the Ukrainian media did not detail when exactly the capture occurred, an image of the soldier, who had apparently been wounded, circulated on Telegram. Further details about his health are unknown.
If the information is confirmed, It would be the first documented case of a North Korean prisoner of war in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Additionally, according to South Korean sources, around 11,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia to date, with signs that they are preparing for an even larger deployment of troops and military equipment.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this week that North Korean forces have suffered more than 3,000 casualties in the Kursk region since they began operating there.
