South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) recently confirmed Ukraine’s reports about capturing two North Korean soldiers in Russia during ongoing hostilities. These soldiers were detained on January 9, 2025, in the Kursk region, a key battlefield in the Russia-Ukraine war. This confirmation by South Korea has brought further credibility to the earlier accounts by Ukrainian intelligence, which reported that the two men were discovered in a hospital setting with various injuries. One had bandaged hands, while the other had a bandaged jaw and a broken leg. The detention of these soldiers has highlighted the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, and it adds to the increasingly complex dynamics of the conflict.
The soldiers, according to the video released by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), stated that they were initially sent to Russia for military training, only to realize upon arrival that they were being deployed to the frontlines to fight in Ukraine. This testimony underscores the deceptive tactics often used by North Korean authorities to send their citizens to support foreign military campaigns without their full awareness of the circumstances. South Korea's NIS added further details, confirming that the soldiers were part of the North Korean contingent helping Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, which has raised serious concerns in the international community.
While Ukraine has not yet presented direct evidence of the men's nationalities, South Korea's confirmation strengthens Kyiv’s claims. According to the NIS, one of the captured soldiers, who had been involved in combat on the Russian side, revealed that North Korean forces had suffered “significant losses” while fighting in Ukraine. This adds to the narrative that North Korean troops are increasingly becoming part of the Russian war effort, and it paints a picture of their dire conditions during the conflict. One of the men reportedly went without food or water for days before being taken into custody by Ukrainian forces.
The NIS continues to monitor the situation and is working closely with Ukraine's SBU to share information and intelligence on North Korean soldiers deployed to support Russian military actions. This cooperation comes amid rising fears about the growing military relationship between North Korea and Russia, particularly the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russian-controlled territories in Ukraine. Neither Russia nor North Korea has commented on the ongoing reports or responded to South Korea’s intelligence service’s latest claims, but the growing evidence points to a deepening alliance between the two authoritarian regimes.
The collaboration between Russia and North Korea, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has been a subject of concern among global leaders. Russia is reportedly benefiting from North Korea’s provision of artillery and ammunition, which has been a critical resource in bolstering Russia’s military capabilities. In exchange, Russia has been sending military equipment and technology, including advanced missile and satellite technologies, to North Korea. This is particularly alarming given the recent test-fire of a new hypersonic missile by North Korea, which took place while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Seoul.
Blinken and other U.S. officials have expressed deep concerns over the expanding military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, warning that it could destabilize the region even further. The U.S. believes that Russia might soon recognize North Korea as a nuclear state, which would have serious ramifications for global security. This assertion has been reiterated by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who also highlighted that Russia and North Korea are on the verge of formalizing their military and diplomatic ties, which would only serve to embolden both regimes.
In terms of casualties, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reported that almost 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. South Korean sources, however, suggest that the actual number of casualties is likely closer to 1,000, though this number continues to rise. Despite the mounting losses, North Korea appears poised to continue sending soldiers to Russia, potentially rotating troops to replace those who have been killed or injured in battle. South Korea’s military sources have indicated that Pyongyang is preparing for additional deployments of its forces to Russia, reinforcing the ongoing involvement of North Korean soldiers in the conflict.
The loss of North Korean personnel has been significant, with some reports suggesting that the casualties include high-ranking officers, potentially even generals. These losses are believed to have spurred North Korea into seeking additional troop deployments, indicating the regime's commitment to supporting Russia in its war effort. The tragic death toll of North Korean soldiers reflects the deepening commitment by Pyongyang to assist Russia, despite the mounting costs in human lives.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expressed his continued support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, particularly as the war in Ukraine drags on. In his New Year's letter, Kim Jong Un hailed the Russian military and its role in defeating "neo-Nazism" in Ukraine. His statement underscored the ideological alignment between Russia and North Korea and demonstrated Pyongyang’s firm stance in supporting Moscow's military objectives. Kim Jong Un's rhetoric suggests that North Korea will not back down from its support of Russia, even if it means sending additional soldiers to the frontlines, further straining its own resources and exacerbating the suffering of its citizens.
As North Korea and Russia continue their military collaboration, the international community remains on high alert, monitoring the situation closely. The involvement of North Korean forces in the war in Ukraine is a troubling development that could have broader implications for global security, particularly as both nations continue to expand their cooperation and share military technologies. The situation is fluid, and as more intelligence and evidence emerge, the full scale of the alliance between these two countries and its impact on the conflict in Ukraine will become clearer.
