North Korean POWs Reveal “Significant” Losses, South Korean Intelligence Confirms

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service has confirmed the capture of two North Korean soldiers by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region.

According to Yonhap News Agency, one of the captured soldiers disclosed “significant” losses among North Korean troops stationed in Russia. The soldier claimed that casualties were substantial, with South Korean intelligence estimating over 100 North Korean soldiers killed and approximately 1,000 wounded within the last month.

The soldiers were taken prisoner during separate operations in early January. One soldier was captured by members of a tactical unit of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces, while the other was detained by airborne troops.

Both soldiers were provided with medical care in accordance with the Geneva Conventions and transferred to Kyiv for further investigation. Communication with the detainees has been facilitated through Korean language interpreters in coordination with South Korean intelligence, as neither detainee speaks Ukrainian, Russian, or English.

One of the prisoners reportedly carried a Russian-issued military identification document, which he claimed was issued in the fall of 2024. According to his testimony, North Korean troops had undergone joint exercises with Russian forces before being deployed.

Earlier, Ukrainian forces captured two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region during a special operation.