Ukraine captures wounded North Korean soldier, says South Korea
Ukrainian forces captured a wounded North Korean soldier sent to support Russia’s war, confirmed South Korea’s spy agency on Friday. This soldier is the first North Korean prisoner of war captured since Pyongyang began deploying troops to aid Russia in December.
A photo of the soldier, reportedly injured, circulated on Telegram before the confirmation. North Korea is said to have sent over 10,000 soldiers to assist Russia, though both Moscow and Pyongyang have not publicly acknowledged this.
Yang Uk, a research fellow at the Asian Institute for Policy Studies, stated that the capture could benefit Ukraine. “It’s more advantageous for Ukrainians to capture these North Korean soldiers and exchange them for their own prisoners of war,” he said. However, proving their nationality may be difficult, as Ukrainian forces believe that North Koreans have been issued fake Russian IDs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared footage showing Russian troops allegedly burning the faces of slain North Koreans to hide their identities. Zelensky also reported that more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded in Russia’s Kursk region.
This collaboration between North Korea and Russia signals a deepening alliance between the two nations. It also raises concerns over the potential destabilization of the Korean peninsula. The situation has sparked anxiety in the West and is closely monitored by China, a key ally of both Russia and North Korea.
The deployment of North Korean troops to Russia marks an intensifying partnership between the two isolated nations, highlighting the growing risks in the region.
