Ukraine Shows Capture of North Korean Soldier as Kim Pulls Troops
A Ukrainian news outlet has published a video showing the capture of a North Korean soldier, as South Korea's spy agency said Kim Jong Un has pulled troops from Russia's Kursk region.
Newsweek has contacted the Russia's Foreign Ministry for comment.
The video, released by RBC Ukraine, shows the detention of the first captured North Korean soldier fighting for Russia against Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously shared footage of the soldier being interrogated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kyiv.
Ukraine and South Korea said in December that Pyongyang had deployed an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 servicemen to southern Russia to fight Ukrainian forces. Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has confirmed the deployment of troops from North Korea to fight Ukrainian forces.
Zelensky announced on January 11 that two had been captured alive, and he said that they were being interrogated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kyiv.
"How SSO [Ukraine's Special Operations Forces] fighters first captured a North Korean military officer. The video shows the same North Korean military officer whose interrogation was shown by President Volodymyr Zelensky," RBC Ukraine said, releasing the footage late on Monday.
In the footage, the North Korean soldier can be heard screaming as he is captured by Ukrainian forces.
He said in his prisoner-of-war video that he didn't know before coming to Russia that he would be fighting in the country alongside Russian forces. He said he was also unaware whom he was fighting against once in Russia.
On Tuesday, South Korea's National Intelligence Service said it appears that the North Korean troops deployed to the Kursk region of Russia have not engaged in combat since mid-January.
"One reason for this may be the occurrence of many casualties, but the exact details are still being monitored," the service said in a statement.
The spy agency said earlier this month that about 300 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia to fight against Ukrainian forces had been killed, and a further 2,700 injured. Newsweek has yet to verify these figures.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service said in a statement on Tuesday: "Since mid-January, it appears that the North Korean troops deployed to the Kursk region of Russia have not engaged in combat.
"One reason for this may be the occurrence of many casualties, but the exact details are still being monitored."
Head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation Andriy Kovalenko said on Telegram on Tuesday: "There is currently no final understanding of whether the [North Korean] troops will return to participate in the assault operations in Kursk. They have not been participating in the assaults for several weeks now."
It remains unclear whether Pyongyang will deploy further troops to Russia.