Ukraine’s unresolved stance on two North Korean prisoners of war who have expressed a desire to defect to South Korea is providing Kyiv with leverage as it seeks to persuade Seoul to supply weapons for its conflict with Russia. The two soldiers, captured early in 2025 after being deployed to the Kursk region to support Russian forces, are legally considered South Korean nationals under Seoul’s constitution, which claims jurisdiction over the entire Korean peninsula. South Korea has expressed willingness to accept the two if they choose to defect.
Ukraine has indicated it will not forcibly repatriate the prisoners against their will, but a final decision on their fate remains pending amid ongoing prisoner exchange negotiations with Russia. The issue has taken on heightened importance as Ukraine intensifies efforts to secure affordable and effective military hardware, particularly as difficulties mount in acquiring sufficient arms from Western partners. South Korea, meanwhile, remains cautious about sending lethal aid directly to an active war zone.
The European Union is reportedly encouraging South Korea to allow shipments of arms to Ukraine, with some observers noting that a forthcoming contract to build submarines for Canada—potentially worth up to $40 billion—could serve as a diplomatic incentive. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha’s recent visit to Seoul was part of a broader diplomatic campaign aimed at convincing South Korea to provide so-called “K-weapons,” which are regarded as cost-effective, technologically advanced, and faster to deliver than alternatives from other suppliers.
During talks on July 23, Sybiha and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun agreed to seek a resolution to the North Korean POW issue “in a manner consistent with international law and humanitarian principles, while respecting the free will of the individuals concerned,” according to a statement from South Korea’s foreign ministry. The two also exchanged views on the war in Ukraine and regional developments, including those involving the Korean peninsula.
In North Korea, soldiers captured alive are traditionally considered disloyal and face severe punishment, including potential execution, if repatriated. The two POWs are reportedly low-ranking with limited intelligence value, though South Korea’s intelligence agency has interviewed them. Nonetheless, their case carries broader diplomatic weight.
Experts suggest Kyiv is using the POW issue as leverage to encourage Seoul to relax restrictions on weapons exports to Ukraine, which are constrained by legal and policy considerations as well as concerns about damaging ties with Russia. Doo Jin-ho, director at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, noted South Korea’s dilemma over balancing relations with the European Union, Russia, Ukraine, North Korea, and Canada in connection with both the prisoner issue and military contracts.
Sybiha framed Russia’s collaboration with North Korea as a destabilizing factor for the Korean peninsula, highlighting Moscow’s growing military ties with Pyongyang. He emphasized Ukraine’s readiness to offer South Korea a “mutually beneficial security partnership,” citing Ukraine’s advances in drone warfare that have disrupted Russian supply lines and shifted battlefield momentum.
Kyiv has also proposed sharing expertise in drone technology with Seoul as part of its pitch for military cooperation. However, analysts caution that South Korea is approaching the POW situation cautiously from a humanitarian perspective, wary of the potential political fallout from repatriation, including risks to its frozen relations with Russia and heightened tensions with North Korea.
Until now, South Korea’s support for Ukraine has been largely indirect, providing artillery shells through intermediaries such as the United States, which then forwarded ammunition to Kyiv. The current diplomatic dynamics underline Seoul’s complex position as it weighs humanitarian concerns, regional security, and international partnerships amid the continuing conflict in Ukraine.