North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine have been ordered by Pyongyang to take their own lives rather than get captured, according to a South Korean lawmaker who was briefed by the country's spy agency on Monday (Jan 13).
"Memos found on deceased soldiers indicate that the North Korean authorities pressured them to commit suicide or self-detonate before capture," lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun claimed in comments to reporters, citing information from the National Intelligence Service.
Over 300 North Korean soldiers have lost their lives and 2,700 were injured while fighting Russia's war against Ukraine.
"The deployment of North Korean troops to Russia has reportedly expanded to include the Kursk region, with estimates suggesting that casualties among North Korean forces have surpassed 3,000," Lee said after a briefing from Seoul's National Intelligence Service.
This includes "approximately 300 deaths and 2,700 injuries," Lee said.
Out of these, some of the soldiers were granted "amnesty" or expressed willingness to join North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, he added.
One soldier, who was facing imminent capture, cried out "General Kim Jong Un" before attempting to blow himself up with a grenade, said Lee.
The analysis carried out by NIS unveiled that the soldiers from North Korea displayed a "lack of understanding of modern warfare," and Russia is using them in a manner which is leading to their "high number of casualties," said the lawmaker.
Also read: North Korea 'significantly benefiting' from its troops fighting in Russia war: US at UNSC
Zelensky proposes soldier swap with North Korea
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday (Jan 12) proposed a soldier swap to North Korea, stating that he would hand them over to Pyongyang in exchange for Ukrainian POWs that were held by Russia.
Zelensky's proposal came after South Korea's National Intelligence Service confirmed the announcement Kyiv made the previous day where it claimed to have captured two North Korean soldiers.
In addition to the first captured soldiers from North Korea, there will undoubtedly be more. It’s only a matter of time before our troops manage to capture others. There should be no doubt left in the world that the Russian army is dependent on military assistance from North… pic.twitter.com/4RyCfUoHoC
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 12, 2025
Ukraine on Saturday said that the North Korean troops had been injured fighting Ukrainian soldiers in Russia's Kursk region but no evidence of their nationality was provided to back this claim.
However, the NIS, as per news agency AFP, said that it had "confirmed that the Ukrainian military captured two North Korean soldiers on January 9 in the Kursk battlefield in Russia".
In a post on X on Sunday, Zelensky said: "Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un's soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia."
"For those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available," said Zelensky.
"In particular, those who express a desire to bring peace closer by spreading the truth about this war in Korean will be given that opportunity," he added.
Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made regarding the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this ongoing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
(With inputs from agencies)