Seoul: At least 300 North Korean soldiers dispatched to support Moscow's war efforts in Ukraine have been killed, with approximately 2,700 others wounded, according to South Korea's spy agency. This information was disclosed by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) during a closed-door meeting with lawmakers from the parliamentary intelligence committee, shared by Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the ruling People Power Party.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the NIS attributed the substantial casualties among North Korean soldiers to their unfamiliarity with modern warfare tactics, including ineffective actions such as firing at long-range drones. This assessment was based on analysis of a combat video recently acquired by the agency. The NIS further reported that North Korean authorities have instructed their troops to take their own lives if they risk being captured alive by Ukrainian forces.
The agency's report coincides with Ukraine's recent release of a video featuring two injured North Korean soldiers in Russia's western Kursk region. Rep. Lee noted that one of the soldiers, when asked if he wanted to return to North Korea, expressed a desire to stay in Ukraine. The soldier also appeared unaware of his deployment's true purpose, indicating surprise when informed he was involved in the conflict against Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a post on X, stated that Ukraine is willing to exchange captured North Korean soldiers for Ukrainian captives held in Russia. The NIS announced it would engage in consultations with Ukraine should the captured North Korean soldiers seek asylum in South Korea. The agency emphasized that the desires of the captured soldiers are paramount, as North Koreans are considered South Korean nationals under constitutional values.
The NIS identified the two soldiers as members of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea's military intelligence arm. Reports of troop deployments are circulating within North Korea, with families of deployed soldiers expressing concerns about them being treated as "slave soldiers" and "cannon fodder." Conversely, others not directly affected by the deployments have shown some optimism, anticipating Russian aid to improve their living conditions.
The agency also uncovered evidence suggesting North Korean authorities have provided compensations, such as food and daily necessities, to the families of soldiers sent to the conflict.