Several North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia died in Ukrainian custody: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on Friday that "several" injured

North Korean soldiers

had died after being taken captive by Ukrainian forces. He criticised Russia for deploying them into combat with "minimal protection."
Ukraine and its Western allies had claimed that North Korea has dispatched thousands of troops to bolster Russia's military.
"Today there were reports about several soldiers from North Korea. Our soldiers managed to take them prisoner. But they were very seriously wounded and could not be resuscitated," Zelenskyy said in an evening address.
South Korea’s intelligence agency said on Friday that a North Korean soldier captured while fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine succumbed to his injuries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not disclose the exact number of North Koreans who died after being captured by Ukrainian forces. However, he previously said that nearly 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been "killed or wounded" while supporting Russia’s military, particularly in the western Kursk border region, where Ukraine launched a surprise incursion in August.
South Korea's spy agency had earlier estimated the number of North Korean casualties at 1,000, attributing the high death toll to unfamiliar battlefield conditions and an inability to defend against drone attacks. The White House corroborated these figures on Friday, with officials describing North Korean troops as being sent on futile missions by Russian generals who view them as "expendable."

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby added that some North Korean soldiers have reportedly taken their own lives rather than face capture, fearing potential reprisals against their families in North Korea.
In recent days, North Korea and Russia have deepened their military ties following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
A significant defence agreement between Pyongyang and Moscow, signed in June, took effect this month. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the pact as a "breakthrough document," and North Korean state media reported Friday that Putin sent a New Year's message to Kim Jong Un, stating, "The bilateral ties between our two countries have been elevated after our talks in June in Pyongyang."
South Korea’s military assesses that North Korea is aiming to modernize its conventional warfare capabilities by gaining combat experience in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Nato chief Mark Rutte has also accused Moscow of supporting Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programs in exchange for troop deployments.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported on Monday that North Korea is allegedly preparing for either the rotation or additional deployment of soldiers and is supplying Russia with "240mm rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled artillery."
Pyongyang’s involvement in the conflict has drawn warnings from Seoul. In November, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is currently suspended, suggested that South Korea might consider providing weapons to Ukraine—an unprecedented move that would break its long-standing policy against supplying arms to nations in active conflict.
( with input from agency)