Zelenskyy says Ukraine sent two North Korean POWs to South Korea

The president criticised North Korea for using citizens like ‘currency’ to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine. Ukraine has transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). “Recently, we ⁠sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea,” said Zelenskyy in his speech on Wednesday. “These guys are not easy to capture alive,” Zelenskyy said. “One of them, when he realised he was going to be taken prisoner, tried to kill himself. And he was shocked that fate did not let him die.” He strongly criticised Pyongyang’s involvement in the conflict, questioning why North Korean soldiers were giving their lives in a war against Ukraine. “Kim Jong Un uses them like currency and gets something in return,” Zelenskyy said, adding that “countries across Asia have likely already noticed North Korea’s enhanced ballistic missiles and significantly advanced drone capabilities”. Ukrainian and South Korean estimates indicate North Korea has deployed approximately 15,000 soldiers to support Russia’s war effort since 2024, primarily in the Kursk border region . Zelenskyy provided no further details regarding the transfer.

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