Ukraine sent two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea, Zelenskiy says — SkimNews
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- Ukraine transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea, announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during his September 23 address to the UN General Assembly.
- The two North Korean soldiers were captured in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025, the first North Korean troops taken alive since Pyongyang entered the war in 2024; one attempted suicide upon capture and was reportedly shocked to survive.
- President Zelenskiy initially offered to return the soldiers to Kim Jong Un in exchange for Ukrainian POWs held by Russia, but human rights groups urged repatriation to South Korea instead, citing the punishment risks defectors face.
- South Korea's foreign ministry declined to confirm the transfer, citing safety of the soldiers and their families, though South Korean media reported the two had expressed a desire to defect; Seoul had stated in June it would accept all North Korean POWs who fought for Russia.
- Kim Jong Un deploys North Korean soldiers "like currency" in Russia's war, Zelenskiy told the UN General Assembly, questioning why Koreans should give their lives fighting Ukraine.
- North Korea has sent an estimated 14,000 to 15,000 soldiers to support Russia's war effort since 2024, alongside millions of artillery rounds, ballistic missiles, and rocket systems, per Ukrainian and independent assessments.
Why it matters: The UN-stage announcement documents North Korea's deployment of an estimated 14,000-15,000 troops to fight in Kursk and makes Seoul's June pledge to accept the soldiers concrete. It also reverses Zelenskiy's earlier offer to trade them back to Kim Jong Un, a decision driven by human rights groups warning of punishment for any soldier sent home to Pyongyang.
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