Ukraine Sends Two North Korean Prisoners of War to South Korea - Zelenskyy.

Ukraine has transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced during his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

Zelenskyy said the two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025 after North Korea deployed troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.

“Recently, we sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea,” Zelenskyy said in his speech.

He described the capture of the soldiers as difficult, claiming that one of them attempted to take his own life after realising he would be captured.

Zelenskyy also criticised North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for sending his citizens to fight alongside Russian forces, accusing Pyongyang of treating its soldiers as a form of “currency” in exchange for military and technological benefits.

South Korean and Ukrainian estimates indicate that North Korea has deployed around 15,000 troops to support Russia since 2024, mainly in the Kursk border region.

The two soldiers were reportedly among the first known North Korean troops captured in the conflict. Zelenskyy had previously indicated that Ukraine could consider exchanging them for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia.

However, human rights organisations urged Ukraine to send the soldiers to South Korea because of concerns about the treatment they could face if returned to North Korea. South Korean media previously reported that the two soldiers had expressed a desire to defect to South Korea.

South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not dispute Zelenskyy’s announcement but declined to confirm details of the transfer, citing the safety of the individuals and protection of their families.

The status of the North Korean POWs was also discussed during a July meeting between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Zelenskyy in Ankara, Türkiye. The two sides agreed to address the issue in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles while respecting the soldiers’ free will.