ANKARA

South Korea's spy agency on Sunday backed Ukraine's account of capturing two wounded North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia, KBS world reported.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said it was aware of the local battlefield situation through real-time cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine, saying Ukraine captured the North Korean soldiers on Thursday.

In a statement on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said the soldiers had been captured in Kursk and had been taken to Kyiv, where they were now "communicating with the Security Service of Ukraine." He added that they were receiving the "necessary medical assistance."

Zelenskyy also shared photos of the two men, one with bandaged hands and the other with a bandaged jaw.

The West and Kyiv have accused North Korea of sending soldiers to help bolster Russian forces in its war against Ukraine, which continues since February 2022.​​​​​​​

Russia and North Korea have boosted their military ties in recent years, but have not confirmed if Pyongyang's forces are fighting for Moscow.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid