According to the South Korean intelligence service NOS, about 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed for Russia in the battle against Ukraine. Another 2,700 North Korean soldiers were reportedly injured.
This was reported on Monday by South Korean MP Lee Seong Kweun Lee, citing South Korean intelligence. Lee had previously taken part in a closed parliamentary hearing with representatives of the NOS.
The soldiers sent by Pyongyang were ordered to commit suicide if threatened with capture. This is evident from notes found on dead North Korean soldiers, Lee said.
The NOS had confirmed earlier on Sunday that the Ukrainian army captured the two North Koreans in Russia’s Kursk region on Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published photos of two injured men with Asian facial features in online media.
Thousands of North Koreans in action
North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to support the Russian army. According to the US and South Korea, about 10,000 soldiers from North Korea have been deployed in Russia, including in the Kursk region on the border with Ukraine. In late December, Zelensky first reported that several North Korean soldiers wounded in battle had died after being captured.
Zelensky offers prisoner exchange
The Ukrainian president has proposed transferring captured soldiers from North Korea to Pyongyang. Kiev is willing to hand over the prisoners to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un if he organizes the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russia.
However, Zelensky continued that there are other options for North Korean soldiers if they do not want to return. Ukraine wanted to give the captured North Koreans the opportunity to “spread the truth about this war in Korean,” the Ukrainian president explained.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
