The information at the disposal of the intelligence service was made public on Monday by Lee Song Kweun, a member of the South Korean parliament.
South Korea had previously announced that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia to allow the Kremlin to use them as “cannon fodder”. In return, North Korea plans to receive technical assistance from Russia for its weapons and satellite technology development programs, which are restricted by international sanctions.
The South Korean deputy also said that instructions were found on the dead North Korean soldiers telling them to kill themselves in case of a threat of capture. “Specific written instructions found on the dead soldiers indicate that the North Korean authorities pressured them to commit suicide or blow themselves up to avoid being captured,” Li said. He also added that by going to war, some North Koreans have obtained amnesty for some violations committed in their homeland. Others, on the other hand, improve their chances of becoming members of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party in this way. One of the North Korean soldiers reportedly shouted after the encirclement: “General Kim Jong Un!” and tried to detonate the grenade, but failed and was shot.
South Korean intelligence analysis shows that a large part of North Korean soldiers have no understanding of modern warfare. Russia using them in a way that leads to a very high death toll among them.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a post on the X platform on Sunday that Ukraine is ready to hand over captured North Koreans to Kim Jong Un in exchange for Ukrainians held captive in Russia. He added that many more North Koreans would “undoubtedly” be captured. For those who do not wish to return to North Korea, other options will be provided. V. Zelensky also posted a video of the interrogation of two captured North Koreans. One of the prisoners has announced that he wants to return to North Korea. The other claimed he was told he would have to participate in exercises, not combat, and expressed his desire to stay in Ukraine.