Ukraine hands over two North Korean prisoners
President Zelensky reports the transfer to South Korea, but independent confirmation is still lacking.
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According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine has handed two North Korean prisoners of war over to South Korea. The report follows months of talks about their destination, but the available reporting contains no confirmation from the South Korean government or an international organisation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is reported to have said on Wednesday that two North Korean prisoners had been transferred to South Korea. The report was published by the Ukrainian news agency UNN. Details about the timing, route and legal form of the transfer have not been made public.
They are two North Korean servicemen captured by Ukrainian forces in the Russian region of Kursk in early 2025. Ukraine said at the time that they were fighting on the Russian side. Their capture was seen as visible evidence of North Korean military support for Russia, which Moscow initially did not publicly confirm.
The two servicemen found themselves in an exceptional legal and diplomatic position. North Korea is their country of origin, Russia is said to have deployed them, Ukraine is holding them and South Korea has offered to take them in if they wish to do so themselves. This raises not only the question of where they will go, but also which state may speak on their behalf.
At the end of June, South Korea and Ukraine agreed to resolve the matter in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles. The South Korean government had earlier said it was prepared to receive North Korean prisoners of war who wished to go south. The talks therefore focused mainly on voluntariness, protection and the practicalities of the transfer.
Human Rights Watch previously wrote that prisoners of war can, under certain circumstances, be transferred to a third country before the end of a conflict. The organisation warned that returning to North Korea could pose risks. That assessment says nothing about the two servicemen’s current status and does not confirm that the transfer has now been carried out.
Reporting on the transfer currently comes from the Ukrainian side. No independent confirmation from Seoul, Kyiv, the Red Cross or the United Nations was found in the public sources consulted. It therefore remains unclear whether this concerns a completed transfer or a political announcement about a decision taken earlier.
The case also affects broader wartime diplomacy. According to earlier reporting, Russia has shown interest in the two prisoners in connection with possible exchanges, but Moscow’s precise position has not been independently established. Until the governments involved publish a joint statement, the transfer itself and its conditions remain uncertain.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Two North Korean servicemen were captured by Ukraine.
- South Korea has said it is willing to receive them if they wish to do so themselves.
- Ukraine and South Korea discussed the matter in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles.
- The current transfer has not yet been independently confirmed.
Left
Arguments The protection of the two people must come first. If returning to North Korea poses a real risk of persecution, South Korea should take them in and their consent must be strictly verified.
Values Human rights, asylum protection and the prohibition of forced return.
Consequences A transfer to South Korea could set a precedent for other prisoners of war, but might prevent their safety from being subordinated to geopolitical horse-trading.
Centre
Arguments The countries involved must follow a verifiable procedure with independent legal review, discussions with the prisoners and the involvement of international organisations. Both humanitarian protection and the law governing prisoners of war must be respected.
Values The rule of law, procedural rigour and diplomatic stability.
Consequences A slow process can be frustrating, but reduces the risk that the transfer will later be challenged as unlawful or politically motivated.
Right
Arguments Ukraine must prevent the two prisoners from becoming a bargaining tool against Russia or North Korea. At the same time, it must be clear that servicemen deployed in a war do not automatically fall outside all legal responsibility.
Values National security, deterrence and compliance with the laws of war.
Consequences Strict legal treatment may limit room for negotiation, but makes clear that prisoners of war cannot be moved between states at will.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved with corrections · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The transfer is described as a report rather than an established fact independently confirmed. The historical context and earlier diplomatic agreements are supported by public sources.
- uncertain Zelensky reported that two North Korean prisoners had been transferred to South Korea. — UNN published this report, but independent confirmation is lacking. source
- confirmed South Korea and Ukraine discussed a solution in June in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles. — Yonhap cites the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. source
- confirmed Human Rights Watch warned of risks associated with returning to North Korea. — This is stated in Human Rights Watch’s analysis. source
- uncertain Russia has shown interest in the two prisoners in connection with possible exchanges. — Earlier reporting stated this, but Russia’s current position has not been independently confirmed. source
1 correction(s) applied
- Was: Ukraine has transferred the two North Korean prisoners to South Korea.Now: According to a Ukrainian report, Ukraine has transferred the two North Korean prisoners to South Korea; independent confirmation is still lacking. (The current transfer has not been confirmed by a second independent source.)
Editor's note
The current transfer is reported in the public sources consulted only by a Ukrainian source, based on a statement by Zelensky. The earlier talks and the nature of the issue are well documented; the execution of the transfer remains unconfirmed for now.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „oekraïne noord-korea”
- AD — „oekraïne noord-korea”
- de Volkskrant — „oekraïne noord-korea”