Zelenskyy Says Two North Korean POWs Sent to South Korea; Seoul Virtually Confirms

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made a surprise disclosure that two North Korean prisoners of war captured by the Ukrainian military were recently sent to South Korea.

The South Korean government also did not deny their arrival, effectively confirming the repatriation of the North Korean POWs to the country, though an undercurrent of embarrassment is being felt within the government.

In a speech delivered yesterday (September 23) local time at the 81st United Nations General Assembly held in New York, President Zelenskyy stated, "Recently, we sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea."

He criticized the North Korean regime, sharing circumstances in which one of the POWs attempted to take his own life at the time of capture.

He continued, "Why should North Koreans give their lives in the war in Ukraine?" and criticized military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, saying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is "using North Korean soldiers like currency."

This is the first time the specific disposition of North Korean POWs deployed to the war in Ukraine has been confirmed.

The two repatriated prisoners of war were captured in Russia's Kursk region in January of last year and had expressed their desire to go to South Korea through media interviews and letters sent to North Korean defector groups.


The South Korean government also virtually acknowledged the transfer shortly after President Zelenskyy's remarks.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated today (September 24), "In accordance with our consistent stance that the issue should be resolved in a manner that respects the free will of the individuals involved and complies with international law and humanitarian principles, we have been holding consultations with the Ukrainian side and others."

However, the ministry added, "As this is a sensitive matter related to personal safety, we cannot confirm the timing or route of entry of individual persons, nor the specific details of consultations between the two countries."

The governments of both countries have been holding discussions regarding the handling of North Korean prisoners of war.

Following foreign ministers' meetings in March and June, the two nations also agreed on the principle of a humanitarian resolution respecting the individuals' will at a South Korea-Ukraine summit held in Ankara, Turkiye, in July.

The South Korean government has maintained a fundamental policy of accepting all North Korean prisoners of war if they wish to come to South Korea, as they are South Korean citizens under the Constitution.

However, a sense of embarrassment is also detected within the government regarding President Zelenskyy's manner of announcement, in which he disclosed the repatriation directly to the world.

This is because Ukrainian intelligence authorities had also previously requested strict confidentiality from Seoul to ensure the personal safety of the individuals and their families.

While President Zelenskyy directly disclosed the transfer of the North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea in the process of highlighting the dangers of close North Korea-Russia ties to the international community, the South Korean government has not issued a separate official stance regarding the background or intent behind his disclosure.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.