Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country has transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. Multiple outlets report he made the statement during an address connected to the United Nations, saying the men were captured in Russia’s Kursk region.
Zelenskyy also describes details about one detainee’s capture experience. The New York Times and Korea Times report that one prisoner tried to kill himself when he realized he would be taken. Zelenskyy portrays this as reflecting harsh conditions in North Korea, while also not providing extensive new logistical details about how the transfer is carried out.
The reports also note the broader diplomatic context. Al Jazeera says Zelenskyy criticises North Korea for using its citizens to support Russia’s war effort, framing the POWs’ transfer as part of a wider dispute about Pyongyang’s role. Korea Times adds that Zelenskyy previously said Ukraine would hand the men to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if it could exchange them for Ukrainians held in Russia. Free Malaysia Today reports South Korea’s foreign ministry says it cannot confirm the matter, citing concerns for the safety of the soldiers and their families.
