Two North Korean soldiers captured in Russia’s Kursk region have been transferred to South Korea, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday during his address to the United Nations General Assembly.
“Recently, we sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea,” Zelenskyy said.
The soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025 after being deployed to Russia’s Kursk region to support Moscow’s war against Ukraine. They were among the first North Korean troops captured alive since Pyongyang began sending forces to support Russia in the conflict.
South Korean opposition lawmaker Yu Yong-weon said the two soldiers left Ukraine over the weekend, traveled through a third country and arrived in South Korea three to four days later, according to local reports.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry declined to confirm the transfer, saying details could not be disclosed because of concerns for the safety of the soldiers and their families.
The two soldiers had previously expressed a desire to settle in South Korea rather than return to North Korea. Human rights groups had also urged Ukraine to send them to South Korea, citing concerns over the treatment they could face if repatriated.
Zelenskyy said the soldiers had been difficult to capture alive and claimed that one of them attempted to take his own life after realizing he was about to be captured.
In June, South Korea said it was prepared to accept North Korean prisoners of war who fought for Russia and opposed their repatriation to Russia or North Korea.
Zelenskyy also criticized North Korea for sending troops to fight alongside Russian forces, questioning why North Korean soldiers should be involved in a war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian and South Korean estimates suggest North Korea has sent about 14,000 to 15,000 troops to support Russia since 2024. Most were deployed to the Kursk region, where they took part in Russian operations against Ukrainian forces.
North Korea has also supplied Russia with large quantities of artillery and mortar ammunition, ballistic missiles and other weapons, according to Ukrainian and independent assessments.
