South Korea Confirms Capture of Wounded North Korean Soldier in Russia’s Kursk Region

South Korea’s spy agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), confirmed on Friday that a wounded North Korean soldier had been captured alive in Russia’s Kursk region. This confirmation followed reports from Ukrainian media, which had released a photo purportedly showing the soldier in custody.

The captured soldier is believed to be part of the estimated 12,000 North Korean soldiers deployed in Russia to assist in its military operations against Ukraine. Ukraine has reported over 3,000 casualties among these troops, while South Korea estimates that at least 1,100 have been killed or wounded.

The NIS revealed that the soldier’s capture was confirmed through real-time intelligence sharing with allied agencies, though further details on the soldier’s condition and the circumstances surrounding the capture have not been disclosed. “We will closely monitor the follow-up situation,” the NIS stated.

Ukraine’s special operations troops captured the North Korean soldier during an operation in Kursk. While the timing of the capture remains unclear, the images shared on social media showed a wounded soldier in Ukrainian custody.

If confirmed, this would be the first known capture of a North Korean soldier fighting alongside Russian forces in the Ukraine conflict.

In response to the potential defection of a North Korean soldier, the NIS emphasized that South Korea is obligated under both international and domestic law to accept any request to defect. However, they also noted the need to carefully consider the political implications, given North Korea’s influence.

As the situation develops, South Korea will continue to monitor the welfare of any North Korean soldiers captured or seeking asylum, highlighting the complex nature of the ongoing conflict and its international ramifications.