Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky released a video on January 12 showing two North Korean soldiers allegedly being interrogated after their capture in Russia’s Kursk region, where they displayed seemingly hesitant attitudes about returning to their country.
In the approximately three-minute video posted on X, the soldiers are either sitting or lying down as they answer questions. The questions appear to be posed by a man who speaks Korean.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) previously said that interrogations are conducted with the cooperation of interpreters from the South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS).
When asked if they knew they would be fighting Ukrainians, one of the North Korean soldiers shook his head.
“[The commanders here] said we would be doing practice as if it were the real thing,” said the soldier. He added that he had been there since Jan. 3. “I came, saw comrades die and then I got injured on Jan. 5 while hiding in a bunker.”
When asked if he wanted to go back home, he replied, “Are the Ukrainian people good?” After hearing the answer, “It is good,” he responded, “I want to live here.”
Another North Korean soldier nodded when asked, “Do your parents know you are here?”
When asked, “Do you want to return to North Korea?” he looked down in silence, but nodded when asked, “Do you want to return to Chosun?”
“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,” Zelensky said in his post on X.
BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]
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