Ukrainian Video of Captured North Korean Soldiers Confirmed Authentic
Social media users claimed a video released by Ukraine's Security Service showing captured North Korean soldiers was an AI-generated deepfake, alleging the soldier had six fingers. Fact-checkers and AI detection tools found the video to be authentic, with the apparent sixth finger being a visual illusion from artifacts in a still frame.
What happened
On January 11, 2025, Ukraine's Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) released a video claiming to show two North Korean soldiers captured in the Kursk region. Social media users on X questioned the video's authenticity on January 14, 2025, claiming the man in the video appeared to have six fingers instead of five, suggesting it was an AI-generated deepfake.
The Asia Fact Check Lab analyzed the video with multiple AI detection tools including Deepware, which found no deepfake or digital manipulation; Sightengine, which assessed the probability of modification at only 1 percent; and Hive Moderation, which assessed it at 0.3 percent. The Image Detector tool assessed the probability of human photography at 74.11 percent versus 30.77 percent for AI generation.
Reported impact
The viral social media claims that the video was fabricated created confusion about whether Ukraine was providing authentic evidence of North Korean military involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Index analysis
Experts found the 'six fingers' claim resulted from visual artifacts in a still frame: a black smudge on the soldier's left hand and a white area at the wrist boundary created an optical illusion. At the 2 minute 32 second mark of the same video, the same individual clearly shows five fingers on the left hand.
The video contained details consistent with authentic footage that would be difficult for AI to generate, including a person handing a pen to the soldier (requiring three overlapping objects) at 2 minute 36 seconds, and a clearly visible identification document at 1 minute 43 seconds. Comparing different moments in the video showed consistent facial features and wound positions.
Governance controls
Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation stated on January 13, 2025, that propaganda channels spread various false claims about the captured individuals, including denying their North Korean origin. Ukraine's SSU did not acknowledge the video was manipulated when questioned about the allegations.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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