Ukraine Sent Two Captured North Korean Soldiers to South Korea, Zelenskyy Says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine has transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea, marking a significant development in the handling of troops sent by Pyongyang to support Russia’s war effort.

Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer during an address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday in the United States. He said the two prisoners of war had recently been sent to the Republic of Korea, South Korea’s official name. He did not give a date, route or other operational details.

The two soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in early 2025 after being deployed to Russia’s Kursk region. North Korea has provided military support to Moscow, and the capture of its soldiers gave Ukrainian and South Korean authorities a rare opportunity to obtain direct accounts from personnel involved in that deployment. The men had reportedly expressed a desire to go to South Korea.

South Korea’s foreign ministry did not confirm that the transfer had taken place. An official said details concerning the men’s handling, including the timing, route and consultations between the countries, could not be disclosed because of concerns for their safety.

The ministry nevertheless reiterated Seoul’s standing policy on the case. It said the soldiers’ free will should be respected and that the matter should be resolved in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles. The official added that South Korea had been consulting Ukraine and other relevant countries and organizations on that basis.

The case brings together sensitive legal, diplomatic and security considerations. South Korea’s Constitution regards the entire Korean Peninsula as its territory, while Seoul generally recognizes North Korean defectors as eligible for protection and resettlement. Prisoner-of-war protections and the men’s individual wishes are also central because they were captured during an international conflict.

Confirmation by Seoul may remain limited while officials assess security and resettlement concerns. Zelenskyy’s statement, however, is the clearest public indication that the two soldiers have left Ukrainian custody for South Korea after months of discussion about their future. Their arrival would make them unusually direct witnesses to North Korea’s overseas military deployment and could provide South Korean authorities with information about recruitment, training and conditions faced by North Korean personnel sent to Russia.