Ukrainian forces have captured an injured North Korean soldier believed to be part of a unit sent by Pyongyang to support Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, South Korea’s intelligence agency confirmed on Friday.
This marks the first confirmed capture of a North Korean prisoner of war since December, following reports of North Korea deploying forces to bolster Russian operations.
The confirmation came after an image of the wounded soldier circulated on Telegram, sparking global attention. Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence estimate that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to assist Russia, though neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has acknowledged the reports.
According to Kyiv and Seoul, many of the North Korean troops belong to the elite "Storm Corps" or the 11th Corps, trained for infiltration, sabotage, and assassination missions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed on Monday that over 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed or injured in the Kursk region alone.
Zelensky further alleged that Russian forces have attempted to conceal the presence of North Korean soldiers by providing them with fake Russian identification and destroying their remains to erase evidence of their nationality.
Military analyst Yang Uk from the Asan Institute for Policy Studies suggested that capturing North Korean soldiers offers strategic advantages for Ukraine. "It is more beneficial for Ukrainians to capture these North Korean troops and use them in prisoner exchanges with Russian forces," he told the BBC.
The deployment of North Korean forces underscores the growing military partnership between Moscow and Pyongyang, raising concerns about broader geopolitical consequences. Zelensky warned that this collaboration not only exacerbates the conflict in Ukraine but also heightens the risk of destabilization on the Korean Peninsula.
The development has alarmed Western nations and allies in East Asia, with China, a key partner of both Russia and North Korea, closely monitoring the situation. The intensifying alliance between these two isolated states raises questions about their long-term objectives and the implications for regional and global stability.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with its forces now receiving reinforcements from North Korean troops amid mounting losses. As tensions rise, the world watches with growing apprehension over the deepening ties between the Kremlin and Pyongyang.