**North Korean Soldier Dies in Ukrainian Captivity**
A North Korean soldier captured by Ukrainian forces has died, according to a report from South Korea’s spy agency. This is believed to be the first North Korean prisoner of war captured since Pyongyang sent troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine.
**Mass Casualties Reported**
The White House said that North Korean forces are experiencing mass casualties in the Kursk region of Russia. It was alleged that over 1,000 of their troops had been killed or wounded in the past week alone.
**North Korea Sends Troops to Support Russia**
North Korea has sent more than 10,000 soldiers to help Russia in its war with Ukraine. However, neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have confirmed or denied this deployment.
**Soldiers Used as “Expendable” Forces**
A White House spokesperson suggested that Russian and North Korean military leaders are treating their troops as “expendable”. They are being ordered to carry out hopeless assaults against Ukrainian defences and used in massed dismounted assaults.
**Capture and Killing of North Korean Troops Expected**
A research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies said that capturing North Korean troops is beneficial for Ukrainians, who can try to exchange them with Russian prisoners of war. Recent images from the Russia-Ukraine war confirmed speculations that North Korean troops will be deployed in large numbers.
**Challenges in Proving North Korean Nationality**
Ukrainian forces say that North Korean soldiers have been issued with fake Russian IDs, making it challenging to prove their nationality. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has posted footage showing Russian troops burning the faces of slain North Koreans to conceal their identities.
**Concerns Over Destabilisation in Korea Peninsula**
More than 3,000 North Korean troops have died or been wounded while fighting in Russia’s Kursk region, according to Ukrainian President Zelensky. He expressed concerns that the collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang heightened the risk of destabilisation around the Korean peninsula.
Read More @ www.bbc.com