Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced at the United Nations General Assembly that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers, who were fighting for Russia in the Kursk region since January last year, to South Korea. The South Korean foreign ministry did not confirm the transfer but stated it was difficult to verify details due to safety concerns. Estimates suggest around 14,000 to 15,000 North Korean troops were deployed to support Russian forces against Ukraine, with approximately 6,000 casualties by February 2026. The South Korean government has previously expressed willingness to accept defectors from North Korea if they wish to resettle there.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In a recent address to the United Nations General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that his country had transferred two North Korean soldiers, captured while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region, to South Korea. The North Koreans were originally deployed to support Russian forces against Ukraine and were taken prisoner by Ukrainian troops in January 2023.
However, South Korea's presidential office expressed strong regret over this disclosure, accusing Ukraine of breaching a non-disclosure agreement aimed at protecting the soldiers' safety upon transfer. Seoul’s senior presidential secretary for public relations, Seong Ghi-hong, stated that the agreement was to keep details secret due to security and humanitarian concerns.
The diplomatic spat has led South Korea to demand an official apology from Ukraine, citing damage to bilateral trust and potential domestic criticism in Kyiv if the exchange had been disclosed. Meanwhile, Zelensky’s aide Dmytro Lytvyn defended the disclosure, saying it was only meant to report the fact of the transfer, not violate any agreement.
This incident risks complicating future cooperation between South Korea and Ukraine, including possible suspensions of non-lethal aid from Seoul to Kyiv. The row underscores tensions over confidentiality agreements in international military matters.
Written for “North Korean POW Transfer” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 20 other(s) covering the same event.
Ukraine has transferred two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia to South Korea, Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address to the United Nations General Assembly.
asserted
Zelensky → transfer → Assembly
“Recently, we sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea,” the Ukrainian president said, revealing that the prisoners had left Ukrainian custody.
South Korea stopped short of publicly confirming the transfer.
“It is difficult to confirm whether the individuals have been handled, the timing and route, or the specific details about the consultations between the two countries,” a foreign ministry official said, citing the issue of their safety.
asserted
official → send → safety
The two North Koreans were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January last year, after being deployed there to support Russian troops fighting against Ukraine.
asserted
Koreans → capture → Ukraine
Mr Zelensky gave few details about the transfer but described the circumstances surrounding the capture of one of the men.
asserted
Zelensky → give → men
“These guys are not easy to capture alive.
asserted
guys → capture → ?
One of them, when he realised he was going to be taken prisoner, tried to kill himself.
asserted
he → realise → himself
And he was shocked that fate did not let him die,” he said.
asserted
he → let → ?
South Korean and Ukrainian estimates have put the number of North Korean troops sent to Russia since 2024 at roughly 14,000 to 15,000.
asserted
estimates → put → 15,000
Most were deployed to the Kursk region, where Russian forces were fighting to push back a Ukrainian incursion.
asserted
forces → deploy → incursion
In February 2026, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service estimated that around 6,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded.
asserted
soldiers → estimate → February
South Korea has previously said it would accept North Korean prisoners who wished to resettle in the South, according to a previous Kyiv Independent report.
uncertain
who → say → report
South Korean president Lee Jae Myung and Mr Zelensky also discussed the issue during their meeting in July on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Ankara, agreeing that the soldiers’ wishes should be respected in resolving the matter, Yonhap reported.
asserted
Yonhap → discuss → matter
Reports from South Korea have said the two soldiers had expressed a desire to defect to South.
asserted
soldiers → say → South
According to NK News, the two they were born in 1999 and 2005 and had expressed a wish to defect to South Korea.
uncertain
they → accord → Korea
Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised troops involved in “overseas military operations” during celebrations marking the 78th anniversary of the country’s founding, state media KCNA reported.
asserted
KCNA → praise → founding
Speaking at an event in Pyongyang, Mr Kim thanked workers and soldiers for their contributions to the state and expressed what KCNA described as “special gratitude and respect” for commanders and troops “participating in overseas military operations.
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commanders → speak → operations
North Korea has also provided Russia with artillery ammunition and missiles as the military relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow has deepened.
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relationship → provide → Pyongyang
Mr Zelensky criticised the deployment in his UN speech, questioning why North Korean soldiers were being sent to fight in a war outside their country.
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soldiers → criticise → country
Why should Koreans give their lives in a war against Ukraine?
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Koreans → give → Ukraine
Kim Jong Un uses them like currency.
asserted
Un → use → currency
And he gets something in return.”
asserted
he → get → return
The expanding military partnership between Russia and North Korea has raised concerns in South Korea and among its allies over possible Russian assistance to Pyongyang’s military programmes.
asserted
partnership → expand → programmes
North Korea has continued to develop its weapons capability and in fact said earlier this year that he could return to talks with the US if the country dropped its “hostile policy” against Pyongyang and respected what he called North Korea’s status as a nuclear state.
uncertain
he → continue → state
The Aporia
