South Korea’s spy agency has confirmed that a North Korean soldier was captured by Ukrainian forces. 

The National Intelligence Service(NIS) said on Friday that it confirmed through real-time information sharing with intelligence authorities of one of its allies that a wounded North Korean soldier was captured, adding that it will closely monitor the situation. 

The NIS's announcement comes after a Ukrainian military media outlet reported on Thursday that Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces(SOF) captured a North Korean soldier during an operation in Russia’s Kursk region. 

Local media outlets claimed that if confirmed, it will mark the first instance of a North Korean soldier being captured as a prisoner of war by Ukraine in its battle against Russia.