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Zelenskyy says Ukraine sent two North Korean POWs to South Korea
Al Jazeera • • world
Key Points:
- Ukraine has transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
- The two soldiers were captured in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025, marking the first known capture of North Korean troops deployed in support of Russia since 2024.
- Zelenskyy criticized North Korea’s involvement in the conflict, accusing Kim Jong Un of using soldiers as "currency" and highlighting North Korea’s enhanced ballistic missile and drone capabilities.
- South Korea and Ukraine have agreed to handle the status of North Korean POWs according to international law and humanitarian principles, with South Korean media reporting the captured soldiers wished to defect.
- South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Zelenskyy’s remarks but declined to provide operational details, citing concerns for individual safety and family protection.
