South Korea’s spy agency confirmed on Friday that a North Korean soldier, who was captured while fighting for Russia against Ukrainian forces, has passed away due to his injuries. This soldier was believed to be the first North Korean taken as a prisoner of war by Ukraine.
The soldier was part of the North Korean troops who were fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region. Reports suggest that North Korean soldiers suffered heavy losses during the conflict, with estimates indicating casualties in the thousands.
While neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have officially acknowledged the presence of North Korean troops in Russia, intelligence sources from the US, Ukraine, and South Korea estimate that there were between 11,000 to 12,000 North Korean soldiers involved in the fighting.
Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of attempting to conceal the involvement of North Korean soldiers on the battlefield. They claim that documents seized from deceased North Korean soldiers had fake military identification with Russian details.
Ukrainian President Zelensky has accused Russia of extreme tactics to disguise the identity of North Korean soldiers killed in combat, including burning their bodies to prevent identification.
There are concerns that North Korea may send additional troops and military equipment to support the Russian army, as indicated by a report received by Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Russian President Putin recently reaffirmed the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which includes a mutual defense pact between the two countries.
