Regarding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's revelation during his United Nations address that two North Korean prisoners of war were sent to South Korea, Cheong Wa Dae stated that it "has conducted the necessary communication and consultations with relevant countries and organizations, including Ukraine."

An official from Cheong Wa Dae explained today (September 24), "Regarding the issue of North Korean prisoners of war in Ukraine, the government has maintained a consistent stance that it should be resolved in a manner that respects the individuals' free will and complies with international law and humanitarian principles."

Earlier, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed a similar stance, drawing analysis that Seoul has effectively confirmed President Zelenskyy's remarks.

The Cheong Wa Dae official added, however, "As this is a sensitive matter concerning the personal safety of the individuals and their families, it is difficult to confirm whether custody of specific individuals was processed, the timing, the routes, or specific details of consultations between the two countries."


Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, local time, President Zelenskyy disclosed, "We recently sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea."

The two North Korean POWs were captured by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region of Russia in January last year and have since expressed their desire to defect to South Korea through media interviews and handwritten letters delivered to North Korean defector groups.

The South Korean government has maintained the position that North Korean POWs are constitutionally South Korean citizens, and that it will provide the necessary protection and support under relevant laws and the fundamental principle of accepting all who request to come to South Korea.

On the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in July, President Lee Jae-myung and President Zelenskyy agreed to resolve the issue of North Korean POWs in a way that respects the free will of the individuals involved and conforms to international law and humanitarian principles.

(Photo courtesy of Gyeore-eol Unification Coalition, Yonhap News)