A Kim Jong-un fighter believed to have been held in Russia’s Kursk region is purported to be in the image and, following its release, South Korea released a curious statement

The soldier is believed to be the first North Korean prisoner of war captured since December, when Pyongyang deployed forces to support Russia's war in Ukraine. The confirmation comes after a photo purporting to show the wounded soldier circulated on Telegram.

South Korean National Intelligence Service is said to have confirmed the development in the last hour, after it had emerged the Kim Jong-un fighter was held in Russia

The confirmation followed a report from Ukraine's military-focused news outlet Militarnyi on Dec. 26, which first revealed the capture without specifying the date of the incident.

Ukraine's military intelligence said Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. It said North Korean troops also faced supply issues and even shortages of drinking water.

South Korea's spy agency said Friday it had confirmed that a North Korean soldier sent to back Russia's war against Ukraine had been captured by Ukrainian forces."Through real-time information sharing with an allied country's intelligence agency,