NIS "About 300 North Korean soldiers killed in Russia..."Forcing suicide bombing before capture"

[Anchor]
The National Intelligence Service said the total number of casualties reached 3,000, with the death toll of North Korean troops dispatched to Russia reaching 300.

Earlier, while two North Korean soldiers were captured alive in Ukraine, it was also confirmed that the North Korean authorities forced them to commit suicide or self-determination before their capture.

I'm reporter Lee Jong Won.

[Reporter]
The National Intelligence Service estimated that the number of North Korean troops killed on the battlefield in Ukraine reached 300 and that 2,700 were injured.

The total number of North Korean casualties has already exceeded 3,000, and the main cause of the North Korean military's great damage was analyzed as follows.

[Lee Sung-kwon/Secretary of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee: Lack of understanding of modern warfare such as charge tactics without support for rear fire and the way Russia uses North Korean troops will result in massive casualties....]

It was also reported to the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee that the North Korean authorities forced them to commit suicide or self-determination in advance if they were captured alive on the battlefield.

From what was found in the memo of the dead, it was found that one North Korean soldier was killed while trying to detonate himself shouting "General Kim Jong-un" when he was on the verge of capture.

Earlier, one of the two North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine was disclosed to have expressed his intention not to return to North Korea, but it was found that they have not yet demanded defection from South Korea.

The National Intelligence Service said it would consult with Ukraine if it asked for it, as the North Korean military is also a Korean citizen under our constitution.

Regarding the launch of the second Trump administration in the U.S., Trump himself is likely to pursue dialogue with Kim Jong-un again as he recognizes the past U.S.-North Korea summit as a representative achievement.

[Park Sun-won/Secretary of the Democratic Party of Korea, National Assembly Intelligence Committee: Small-scale negotiations such as nuclear freeze and disarmament and "small deal" are possible if North Korea's complete denuclearization is deemed difficult to achieve within a short period of time.]

Regarding the possibility of Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia, which has been constantly discussed, the National Intelligence Service predicts that North Korea will weigh whether to pursue it in the first half of this year.

I'm YTN's Lee Jong Won.



Filmmaker: Lee Sang-mo is
Video editing: Seo Young-mi