Official statements from the South Korean government or intelligence agencies

Ukraine Captures Two Injured North Korean Soldiers in Kursk for First Time, Interrogates in Kyiv

Jan 11, 2025, 09:37 PM

Ukrainian forces have captured two North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk region, marking the first time that North Korean soldiers have been captured alive in this conflict. The soldiers, aged 20 and 26, were injured during combat, with one suffering from a jaw injury, a leg fracture, and a bandaged hand. They were transported to Kyiv for medical treatment and interrogation. One of the soldiers, born in 2005 and serving as a rifleman since 2021, claimed during questioning that he believed he was going for training in Russia, not to fight in the war against Ukraine. The other soldier, born in 1999, has been serving as a scout sniper since 2016. Both soldiers do not speak Ukrainian, Russian, or English, and communication with them is being facilitated through Korean interpreters in cooperation with South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS). The NIS confirmed the capture and reported that one of the soldiers testified to arriving in Russia in November 2024, undergoing a week of military training before being deployed to the battlefield. The soldier also mentioned significant losses among North Korean troops in combat and being without food or water for 4-5 days before capture. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the capture as 'irrefutable evidence' of North Korea's involvement in the war, emphasizing that the world needs to know the truth about the situation.