South Korean intelligence has identified the backgrounds of the North Korean captives in their homeland.

The South Korean intelligence service reported this during a closed session of the parliamentary intelligence committee, citing Yonhap.

The official institution that housed the North Korean prisoners is called the Main Intelligence Bureau.

South Korean intelligence also revealed that North Korean soldiers are being told they must kill themselves to avoid being captured by Ukrainian forces. North Korea's losses in the war against Ukraine have already reached three thousand individuals — 300 dead and 2700 wounded.

Such "massive losses" are explained by South Korean intelligence as a result of the North Korean soldiers' "lack of understanding of modern warfare." Specifically, they engage in "pointless" shooting at long-range drones.

It is worth noting that, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the losses for North Korea, which Russia has enlisted for the war against Ukraine, are even higher — allegedly reaching four thousand dead or wounded.

First North Korean Soldiers Captured

On January 11, it became known that Ukrainian fighters captured the first two soldiers from North Korea in the Kursk region of Russia. They were injured but survived. They were transported to Kyiv, where they are being questioned by SBU investigators.

The prisoners do not speak Ukrainian, English, or Russian, so communication with them is conducted through Korean translators in collaboration with South Korean intelligence. Both stated that they were en route to training exercises, not to fight against Ukraine.

Following this, Ukraine announced that it is willing to return North Korea's soldiers if the country helps facilitate an exchange for Ukrainian fighters held by Russia.