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Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested returning the soldiers to North Korea in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia.
ADVERTISEMENTSouth Korea’s spy agency informed lawmakers on Monday that two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting alongside Russia in its border region of Kursk have not expressed any intention to seek asylum in South Korea.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on X that Ukraine is willing to return the soldiers to Pyongyang in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia.He added, “there may be other options” for North Korean soldiers unwilling to return, with a government-released video suggesting at least one soldier wished to stay in Ukraine.In a closed-door briefing at South Korea’s National Assembly, the National Intelligence Service confirmed its involvement in questioning the soldiers alongside Ukrainian authorities.According to lawmakers present, the soldiers have not requested resettlement in South Korea, but the agency indicated that it is open to discussions with Ukraine should the soldiers express such a desire.Koo Byoungsam, spokesperson for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, emphasised that facilitating asylum would require “legal reviews, including on international law, and consultations with related nations.”First time since the 1950sSouth Korea’s spy agency estimates that approximately 300 North Korean soldiers have died and 2,700 have been injured while fighting in Ukraine, marking North Korea’s first large-scale military involvement since the 1950 Korean War.The agency reported that North Korean soldiers are struggling to adapt to modern combat technologies like drones and have been disadvantaged by Russian commanders’ rudimentary tactics.Memos retrieved from deceased North Korean soldiers revealed orders to commit suicide rather than be captured, with one soldier reportedly shouting “General Kim Jong-un” before attempting to detonate a grenade to avoid capture.Zelenskyy confirmed the capture of the North Korean soldiers on Saturday as Ukraine pushes new offensives in Kursk amid ongoing Russian counterattacks.Moon Seong-mook, a retired South Korean brigadier general, said Pyongyang troops likely faced high casualties due to their lack of preparation for the unfamiliar terrain in Kursk, significantly different from North Korea’s mountainous regions.Their reliance on Russian commanders has likely exacerbated issues with tactics, communication and adapting to modern warfare.“The current battlefield environment, combined with drones and other technologies, have created situations North Korean soldiers have never encountered before,” Moon stated. “They are also being deployed in large numbers in wide-open fields, where there is no place to hide, in continuous battles to retake the area, and that seems to be where the casualties are coming from,” he added.Moon also highlighted the poor training conditions in North Korea, where financial struggles force soldiers into farming or construction work to support the economy.ADVERTISEMENTDespite their difficulties, Seoul remains concerned that North Korea’s involvement in Ukraine could strengthen its military capabilities, particularly if Russia provides advanced technology or combat experience that could enhance North Korea’s nuclear-armed forces.Additional sources • AP
