Ukraine has transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, according to an address delivered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the United Nations General Assembly. The soldiers, captured in Russia’s Kursk region, arrived in Seoul after transiting through a third country.
Ukrainian authorities have completed the transfer of two North Korean soldiers who were captured during combat operations in Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy disclosed during an address at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Sept 23 in New York.
Capture in Kursk and Subsequent Transfer Details
The two individuals—a North Korean sniper and reconnaissance officer and a rifleman—were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January last year. They marked the first North Korean military personnel apprehended alive since the country joined the Russia-Ukraine war in 2024.
Zelenskiy noted the difficulties encountered during their apprehension. These guys are not easy to capture alive
, he said in his speech. One of them, when he realized he was going to be taken prisoner, tried to kill himself. And he was shocked that fate did not let him die
.
Initially, Zelenskiy stated that he would hand them over to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if he could facilitate their exchange for Ukrainians held captive in Russia. However, human rights groups urged him to repatriate them to South Korea, citing the risks of punishments the soldiers faced. South Korean media reported that the two captured soldiers had expressed their desire to defect to South Korea in media interviews and handwritten letters delivered to organizations representing North Korean defectors.
According to South Korean opposition lawmaker Yu Yong-weon, who spoke to reporters on Thursday, the two North Koreans had left Ukraine last weekend, transited through a third country, and arrived in South Korea three to four days ago, as reported by Yonhap News Agency. While their exact location is unknown, I believe our intelligence agencies are protecting them
, Yu was quoted as saying.
Seoul’s Position and Diplomatic Communication
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said it would not be able to confirm the matter, citing the need to protect the safety of the soldiers and their families, while the country’s Unification Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, the government effectively confirmed the repatriation on Thursday following Zelenskiy’s disclosure. A ministry official stated that Seoul has consistently maintained that the issue should be resolved in a manner that respects the prisoners’ free will and complies with international law and humanitarian principles.
Based on this position, we have conducted necessary communication and consultations with Ukraine as well as other relevant countries and institutions
, a ministry official was quoted by news reports as saying. The ministry did not issue an explicit denial of Zelenskiy’s disclosure, effectively confirming that Seoul has been involved in discussions over their transfer, though it declined to provide details about whether individual prisoners had been transferred, or about the timing, route, or specific contents of bilateral discussions.
South Korea announced in June that it would accept all North Korean prisoners of war who fought for Russia and opposed any repatriation of them to Russia or North Korea.
Broader Scale of North Korean Deployment in Russia
During his address, Zelenskiy criticized North Korean leadership over the deployment of troops to support Russian military operations. This is madness too. Why should Koreans give their lives in a war against Ukraine? Kim Jong Un uses them like currency. And he gets something in return
, he said.
This is madness too. Why should Koreans give their lives in a war against Ukraine? Kim Jong Un uses them like currency.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, United Nations General Assembly address, via Yahoo
Ukrainian and South Korean estimates indicate that North Korea has sent around 14,000 to 15,000 soldiers since 2024 to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. Most of them have been deployed in the Russian region of Kursk, where they helped Moscow’s forces repel a Ukrainian incursion.
Independent and Ukrainian assessments also note that North Korea has supplied Russia with millions of artillery and mortar rounds, ballistic missiles, long-range artillery, and multiple-launch rocket systems to sustain the ongoing conflict.
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