On the 27th, South Korea's National Intelligence Service stated that Ukrainian special forces have captured a North Korean soldier sent to fight in Russia for the first time.
According to Yonhap News, the South Korean intelligence agency released a brief statement confirming the capture of a wounded North Korean soldier through real-time information sharing with friendly intelligence agencies.
Ukraine's military media outlet Militarnyi reported on the 26th that Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SOF) captured a North Korean soldier fighting for the Russian military during a mission in the Kursk region of Russia, releasing photos of the soldier on Telegram.
The SOF stated, “This is the first time Ukrainian Defense Forces have captured a North Korean service member fighting for the Russian military.” The man in the photo seemed severely injured with a dazed expression, but details about his injuries and condition remain unclear.
North Korea has sent 11,000 soldiers to fight in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with indications that they are preparing to further deploy troops and equipment. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently reported that over 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been wounded or killed in the Kursk region.
● Putin: Russia and North Korea to Collaborate More Closely to Address Threats and Challenges
Additionally, North Korean state media KCNA reported on the 27th that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a New Year’s greeting letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, expressing that Russia and North Korea will work more closely in the new year to address contemporary threats and challenges.
According to the report, Putin mentioned that his meeting with Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang this June elevated Russia-North Korea relations to a new level, and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed as a result of the talks created conditions for fundamentally expanding mutually beneficial cooperation in all major areas between the two countries.
Putin expressed his belief that Russia and North Korea will continue to work closely to fulfill this historic treaty by 2025, putting more consistent effort into addressing contemporary threats and challenges.
On June 19 this year, Kim Jong-un and Putin held talks in Pyongyang and signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between the two countries. On December 4, a treaty ratification exchange ceremony took place in Moscow, the capital of Russia, with the treaty taking effect from the date of exchange.