Ukraine's film-like operation: N Korean troops kill themselves and fellow soldiers to avoid capture

The Wall Street Journal revealed details of the Ukrainian mission. That day, Ukrainian special forces came across a wounded North Korean soldier lying in a forest in the Kursk region of Russia. Noticing them, the young soldier began threatening them with a grenade, holding it in his hand.

The commander of the Ukrainian group, a captain with the call sign Green, tried to calm him down by addressing him with a few phrases in Korean that he had learned for such occasions.

"Brother, it's okay," Green said, then added in Russian, "It's okay. I'm helping."

The Ukrainian military was trying to take the soldier prisoner. Until now, not one of the thousands of North Koreans fighting on Russia's side had been captured alive. Some chose death rather than surrender, while others were killed by their comrades to avoid capture, the Ukrainian military said.

Ukrainian officials say North Korea's involvement in the war is evidence of its globalization. Kyiv estimates that Russia has deployed about 12,000 North Korean troops to the Kursk region since December. The North Koreans, who have been fighting mostly infantry attacks without armored support, have shown high motivation despite suffering significant casualties.

Documents found on dead North Korean soldiers attest to their discipline and willingness to sacrifice. But they also point to Russian efforts to conceal the North Koreans' presence. Greene's team carefully prepared the operation to capture the prisoner. On January 9, after making their way through a minefield, they set up an ambush that resulted in the discovery and encirclement of the wounded soldier.

At first he resisted and held a grenade in his hand. Greene gestured to help him, and the North Korean eventually handed over the weapon. "We treated him like a child. We didn't want him to hurt himself," Greene said.

The Ukrainians began transporting the prisoner through the minefield when Russian artillery began to shell heavily. "The Russians used every resource they had at that point just to get rid of both the Koreans and us," Green said.

The captured 20-year-old shooter claimed he did not know where he was and that he was fighting against Ukraine. During interrogation, he asked if Ukrainians were good people and, when he heard an affirmative answer, said, "I want to live here."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the capture of two North Koreans and offered to exchange them for Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia.

The capture of the North Koreans will provide valuable information about their training, life in North Korea and role in the war. "They are living proof of North Korea's illegal participation in Russia's war," said Lee Sung-min, director of the Human Rights Foundation's Korea office.