South Korea's spy agency said on Friday (December 27, 2024) it had confirmed that a North Korean soldier sent to Russia's war against Ukraine had been captured by Ukrainian forces.
Pyongyang has deployed thousands of troops to reinforce Russian troops, including in the Kursk border region where Ukraine mounted a shock border incursion in August.
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"Through real-time information sharing with an allied country's intelligence agency, it has been confirmed that one injured North Korean soldier has been captured," South Korea's National Intelligence Service said in a statement.
The soldier was captured by the Ukrainian army, an intelligence source told AFP, adding that the location where he was seized was unknown. 
The first confirmation of the capture of a North Korean soldier came days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that nearly 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been "killed or wounded" so far.
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Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) also said Monday that more than 1,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded.
The JCS had also said that Pyongyang is reportedly "preparing for the rotation or additional deployment of soldiers" and supplying "240mm rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled artillery" to the Russian army.
Seoul's military believes that North Korea was seeking to modernise its conventional warfare capabilities through combat experience gained in the Russia-Ukraine war.
North Korean state media said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a New Year's message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying "the bilateral ties between our two countries have been elevated after our talks in June in Pyongyang".
A landmark defence pact went into effect in December after the two sides exchanged ratification documents. 
Putin hailed the deal in June as a "breakthrough document".
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Ukraine war updates: Reports say that a North Korean soldier fighting for Russia has been captured by Ukraine, in the first such incident. North Korea has deployed thousands of troops to reinforce Russian troops, including in the Kursk border region where Ukraine mounted a shock border incursion in August.

South Korea's spy agency said on Friday (December 27, 2024) it had confirmed that a North Korean soldier sent to Russia's war against Ukraine had been captured by Ukrainian forces. Pyongyang has deployed thousands of troops to reinforce Russian troops, including in the Kursk border region where Ukraine mounted a shock border incursion in August. Also read: South Korea's suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol faces impeachment hearing over martial law crisis "Through real-time information sharing with an allied country's intelligence agency, it has been confirmed that one injured North Korean soldier has been captured," South Korea's National Intelligence Service said in a statement. The soldier was captured by the Ukrainian army, an intelligence source told AFP, adding that the location where he was seized was unknown. The first confirmation of the capture of a North Korean soldier came days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that nearly 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been "killed or wounded" so far. Also read: Russia’s anti-aircraft system shot down Azerbaijani jet over ‘mistaken identity’, US claims Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) also said Monday that more than 1,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded. The JCS had also said that Pyongyang is reportedly "preparing for the rotation or additional deployment of soldiers" and supplying "240mm rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled artillery" to the Russian army. Seoul's military believes that North Korea was seeking to modernise its conventional warfare capabilities through combat experience gained in the Russia-Ukraine war. North Korean state media said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a New Year's message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying "the bilateral ties between our two countries have been elevated after our talks in June in Pyongyang". A landmark defence pact went into effect in December after the two sides exchanged ratification documents. Putin hailed the deal in June as a "breakthrough document". Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Injured North Korean soldier fighting for Russia captured by Ukrainian forces: Report

Russian soldiers "have no idea what to do" with the transferred North Korean soldiers as they were heard using racist slang for the North Koreans in a leaked audio clip.&nbsp;

According to a report by CNN, an audio clip obtained by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine was released on Friday (Oct 25) in which a few Russian soldiers were heard calling the North Korean soldiers "f***ing Chinese.''

The Russian soldiers talked disdainfully about the incoming North Korean soldiers as they named them "K Battalion" in the intercepted audio clip.&nbsp;

In the same audio, a Russian serviceman was heard describing another who was assigned to meet and talk to the North Korean soldiers who had already reached Russia.&nbsp;

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“And he’s like standing there with his eyes out, like… f**k. He came here and said what the f**k to do with them,” the serviceman said while talking to other Russian soldiers.&nbsp;

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine said the audio was intercepted from encrypted Russian transmission channels on the night of October 23.

The intercepts, as per the CNN report, also revealed plans to have one interpreter and three senior officers for every 30 North Korean men. Russian soldiers were heard slamming the plane.&nbsp;

“The only thing I don’t understand is that there should be three senior officers for 30 people. Where do we get them? We’ll have to pull them out,” a Russian serviceman was heard saying.

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A different extract of the same conversation revealed another Russian serviceman saying, “I’m f***ing telling you, there are 77 battalion commanders coming in tomorrow, there are commanders, deputy commanders and so on.”&nbsp;

The leaked audio comes just a day after Ukraine's military intelligence announced on Thursday (Oct 24) that a group of North Korean soldiers had been spotted in Russia's Kursk region.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

Russian soldiers "have no idea what to do" with the transferred North Korean soldiers as they were heard using racist slang for the North Koreans in a leaked audio clip.

Russian soldiers "have no idea what to do" with the transferred North Korean soldiers as they were heard using racist slang for the North Koreans in a leaked audio clip. According to a report by CNN, an audio clip obtained by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine was released on Friday (Oct 25) in which a few Russian soldiers were heard calling the North Korean soldiers "f***ing Chinese.'' The Russian soldiers talked disdainfully about the incoming North Korean soldiers as they named them "K Battalion" in the intercepted audio clip. In the same audio, a Russian serviceman was heard describing another who was assigned to meet and talk to the North Korean soldiers who had already reached Russia. Also read | Indian man killed by rogue wave while taking pictures at popular Bali tourist site “And he’s like standing there with his eyes out, like… f**k. He came here and said what the f**k to do with them,” the serviceman said while talking to other Russian soldiers. The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine said the audio was intercepted from encrypted Russian transmission channels on the night of October 23. The intercepts, as per the CNN report, also revealed plans to have one interpreter and three senior officers for every 30 North Korean men. Russian soldiers were heard slamming the plane. “The only thing I don’t understand is that there should be three senior officers for 30 people. Where do we get them? We’ll have to pull them out,” a Russian serviceman was heard saying. Also read | Former Abercrombie and Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries pleads not guilty to sex crimes A different extract of the same conversation revealed another Russian serviceman saying, “I’m f***ing telling you, there are 77 battalion commanders coming in tomorrow, there are commanders, deputy commanders and so on.” The leaked audio comes just a day after Ukraine's military intelligence announced on Thursday (Oct 24) that a group of North Korean soldiers had been spotted in Russia's Kursk region. (With inputs from agencies)

'F***ing Chinese': Russian soldiers heard condemning North Korean troops in leaked audio

From next year, the Koreans would have to include their birth date to calculate their age, which will make them at least one or two years younger. The international method of calculating age will be implemented from June 2023.

South Koreans will become younger by the summer of 2023