First North Korean POW confirmed in Ukraine-Russia war

A North Korean soldier has been captured by Ukrainian forces, according to South Korean officials. This marks the first time a North Korean soldier has been captured in the Ukrainian-Russian war.

The South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed that a North Korean soldier deployed to Russia was captured by Ukrainian forces. “We have confirmed that one injured North Korean soldier has been captured through real-time information sharing with the intelligence agencies of friendly countries,” said the agency on Friday, according to KBS.

The soldier was reportedly captured by Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SOF) in the Kursk region, according to the Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi. An image shared on a popular messaging app showed the captured soldier bearing signs of injuries.

This incident represents the first confirmed capture of a North Korean soldier during the ongoing Ukrainian-Russian war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed on Monday that more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers have already been killed or wounded in battles with Ukrainian forces.

Approximately 11,000 North Korean troops have been stationed in the Kursk region of Russia, a key battleground in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Recently, North Korea and Russia signed an agreement that includes a mutual defense provision.