North Korean soldier captured in Ukraine reportedly dies
Ukrainian forces have reportedly captured a North Korean soldier in the Kursk region, marking the first such incident since the onset of the conflict. However, South Korean intelligence suggests that the soldier has died.
Many reports from Russian media or government representatives are considered propaganda. Such reports form part of the information warfare conducted by the Russian Federation.
According to AFP, this is the first confirmed case of North Korea's involvement in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
"We have verified through the intelligence agency of a friendly nation that the North Korean soldier captured on 26th December recently died due to a decline in his health," report South Korean intelligence sources.
North Korea's support for Russia
Special units reportedly captured the soldier during an operation in Russia's western Kursk region. The exact date of the incident has not been disclosed.
A photograph believed to depict the captured North Korean soldier, who may have been wounded, has surfaced on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that nearly 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been "killed or wounded" since their participation alongside Russia. South Korea mentions approximately 1,100 such individuals.
More forces arrive in Russia
Western sources claim that over 10,000 North Korean soldiers have recently arrived in Russia to assist Putin's forces at the front. The Kremlin has not commented on this information, and North Korea has neither confirmed nor denied any involvement of its soldiers in the conflict against Ukraine.
Ukrainian intelligence believes that North Korean military support for Russia poses a threat not only to Ukraine but also to South Korea and Japan. The intelligence suggests that while some North Korean soldiers will perish in Ukraine, others will return with combat experience, enhancing their capacity to train additional units in modern combat techniques. The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the South Korean Armed Forces have affirmed that such developments could exacerbate the military threat from North Korea in the region.
Source: Ukrainian Pravda/Telegram/WP
