Ukraine has transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2026. The soldiers, captured while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region in 2025, had been held by Ukrainian forces and are believed to be the only known North Korean POWs in Ukraine.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry declined to confirm the arrival of the soldiers but acknowledged ongoing consultations with Ukraine and other relevant parties. The ministry cited concerns for the safety of the soldiers and their families in North Korea as the reason for withholding details regarding the timing, route, or other specifics of the transfer. South Korea’s constitution recognizes all North Koreans as citizens and obliges the government to accept defectors or refugees from the North. Reports indicate the two captured fighters had expressed a desire to seek resettlement in South Korea.

President Zelensky criticized North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong-un, for sending troops to support Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine. He contended that North Korean soldiers were being exploited as “currency” in the conflict, saying, “Why should Koreans give their lives in a war against Ukraine?” Zelensky also highlighted the intensity of North Korean indoctrination, recounting that one of the POWs attempted suicide rather than be captured. This reflects the regime’s harsh stance toward capture, viewing it as the ultimate betrayal.

Interviews with the two soldiers, conducted by a South Korean documentary filmmaker and aired earlier this year, revealed their grim experiences. Both described being unaware of their deployment destination until boarding a ship where Russian officials directed them. They fought on the front lines in Russia’s Kursk area, suffering severe casualties and injuries. One soldier recounted the loss of many comrades and expressed anxiety over the fates of their remains, while also sharing fear about the potential repercussions for his family under North Korea’s system of collective punishment. The other soldier suffered serious leg injuries and was left stranded for days before Ukrainian forces found him.

North Korea has officially expressed gratitude to its soldiers who fought in Ukraine and Russia, portraying those who died as martyrs. The regime has used their deaths for internal propaganda, extolling the “spirit of self-detonation” among troops who reportedly killed themselves to avoid capture. It has built memorials and rewarded families of fallen soldiers, while continuing to emphasize ideological loyalty through pervasive slogans urging citizens to become “guns and bombs” defending the state.

The deployment of North Korean forces is part of a broader arrangement in which Pyongyang has supplied Russia with weapons, including artillery shells and ballistic missiles, reinforcing their strategic ties amid the ongoing conflict. South Korea, the United States, and allied partners have expressed concern that this cooperation may facilitate technology transfers that could enhance North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

Following the capture of the soldiers, South Korea urged Ukraine not to return them to North Korea due to fears of persecution. After months of consultation, Ukraine confirmed the transfer to Seoul, reflecting cooperation on this sensitive issue in accordance with international humanitarian principles.

While the exact number of North Korean troops sent to Russia remains undisclosed by Pyongyang, South Korean intelligence estimated that approximately 15,000 soldiers were deployed since late 2024, with around 2,000 casualties reported. The transfer of the two POWs thus represents a rare and significant development amid ongoing hostilities involving Russian, Ukrainian, and North Korean forces.