A North Korean soldier captured while fighting for Russia in Ukraine has died from his injuries, South Korea’s intelligence agency said on Friday.
Thousands of North Korean troops have reportedly been sent to support Russia’s military, including in areas like the Kursk border region, where Ukraine recently carried out a surprise attack... Continue reading here ▶
One of these soldiers was captured alive by Ukrainian forces on Thursday, but hours later, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed that he had died due to severe injuries.
This news follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement that nearly 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded in the war so far.
South Korean intelligence had previously estimated the number to be around 1,000, attributing the high casualties to their inexperience with modern battlefields and vulnerability to drone attacks.
Reports suggest North Korean troops are being used as expendable units in dangerous frontline missions.
North Korea and Russia have grown closer since the start of the war in Ukraine, signing a major defense agreement earlier this year. While Moscow reportedly supports North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs in exchange for troops, Ukraine’s allies have warned this cooperation dangerously escalates the conflict.
South Korea has hinted at possibly supplying weapons to Ukraine, a significant shift in its long-standing policy against selling arms to countries at war.
