Two North Korean soldiers captured in Russia transferred to Seoul, according to Zelensky
Kyiv claims to have handed over the first two living North Korean fighters since their entry into the war alongside Moscow to South Korea. Seoul has yet to confirm their arrival.
Ukraine has transferred two North Korean soldiers captured in the Russian region of Kursk to South Korea, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Wednesday, September 23, during a speech at the UN General Assembly. The Ukrainian leader did not provide a specific date or details regarding the transfer process.
The two men were captured alive in January 2025, a few months after North Korean troops entered the war alongside Russia. One of them reportedly attempted to take his own life at the time of his capture, according to Zelensky. Their identities have not been disclosed.
The South Korean ministries of Foreign Affairs and Unification did not immediately confirm their arrival in response to inquiries from Reuters. In June, South Korean authorities stated that they would accept all North Korean prisoners held in Ukraine if they chose to go to South Korea, and they opposed any forced repatriation to Russia or North Korea.
South Korean media later reported that the two men wished to defect. In July, Zelensky and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung agreed that their fate would be determined in accordance with international law and their wishes.
According to Ukrainian and South Korean estimates cited by Reuters, Pyongyang has sent between 14,000 and 15,000 troops to Russia since 2024, primarily in the Kursk region. North Korea has also supplied Moscow with artillery ammunition, ballistic missiles, and multiple rocket launchers.
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