North Korean soldier captured in Ukraine dies

A wounded North Korean soldier captured by Ukrainian forces has died, Yonhap information company reported, citing a press release from South Korea’s intelligence company.

The soldier could be the primary North Korean prisoner of struggle captured since Pyongyang deployed its forces to help Russia’s struggle in Ukraine.

South Korea’s Nationwide Intelligence Service stated it confirmed by way of an “allied intelligence company” that the soldier died of “extreme accidents,” Yonhap reported.

North Korea has despatched greater than 10,000 troops to assist Russia, in line with kyiv and Seoul – though Moscow and Pyongyang have neither confirmed nor denied their presence.

The intelligence company earlier confirmed that Ukrainian forces had captured the soldier after a photograph purporting to indicate the person circulated on Telegram.

“That is the primary in a collection of captures and killings,” Yang Uk, a researcher on the Asan Institute of Coverage Research, informed the BBC. “For the Ukrainians, it’s extra advantageous to seize these North Korean troops and attempt to trade them with the Russians for Ukrainian prisoners of struggle.”

Current footage from the Russia-Ukraine struggle confirmed hypothesis that “North Korean troops could be deployed in giant numbers for the Russian-led assault,” Yang stated.

Nonetheless, he additionally added that “it will likely be troublesome to show their North Korean nationality.”

Ukrainian forces say North Korean troopers got pretend Russian ID playing cards, whereas Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky final week launched footage he stated confirmed Russian troops burning the faces of slain North Koreans to hide their identification.

Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence providers stated lots of the troops deployed to Russia had been amongst Pyongyang’s finest, drawn from the eleventh Corps, also referred to as the Storm Corps. The unit is skilled in infiltration, infrastructure sabotage and assassinations.

Greater than 3,000 North Korean troopers have died or been injured in combating in Russia’s Kursk area, Zelensky stated Monday.

He added that collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang elevated the “threat of destabilization” across the Korean peninsula.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The current deployment of North Korean troops to Russia is an indication of a rising alliance between the 2 pariah states.

The event, which comes as North Korea escalates tensions with South Korea, has raised issues within the West. China, a long-time ally of each side, can be keep a careful eye on friendship.

Further reporting by Jake Kwon