Zelensky: 2 N. Korean POWs Now in South Korea

As of September 24, 2026, two North Korean soldiers captured on the Russian front have reportedly made it to South Korea. Ukraine's president revealed the news himself at the United Nations in New York, and Seoul's foreign ministry all but confirmed it by declining to deny it.

About 8,500Estimated number of North Korean troops deployed to Russia, per Ukrainian intelligence

Key points

Ukraine's president disclosed the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea during his high-level UN General Assembly address.
South Korea's foreign ministry said it couldn't confirm the timing or route of the transfer, but acknowledged ongoing coordination with relevant countries and agencies.
The two men were captured on the Kursk front inside Russia, reportedly in early last year.
President Lee Jae-myung raised the issue directly with Ukraine's president on the sidelines of July's NATO summit in Turkey.

Ukraine's president, addressing the UN General Assembly's high-level session in New York, said he'd recently sent two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. He described their capture as anything but smooth — one of the men, sensing he was about to become a prisoner of war, reportedly tried to kill himself. The president said he was struck that the soldier survived at all, calling it a window into how North Korea's regime treats its own people.

At a briefing the same day, South Korea's foreign ministry stopped short of confirming the transfer outright, but said it had been in continuous contact with Ukrainian counterparts. Officials added that details about the men's whereabouts and travel route couldn't be disclosed, citing safety concerns for the individuals and their families. By not pushing back on the president's remarks, the ministry's response amounted to a tacit acknowledgment.

The two soldiers in question were captured by Ukrainian forces during fighting in Russia's Kursk region, reportedly in January of last year. Their identities became public after Ukraine's president posted footage of the capture on social media at the time. Since then, the men have reportedly written letters to North Korean defector groups in South Korea and given media interviews expressing a wish to resettle there.

Under South Korea's constitution, which treats North Korean territory as part of the country, Seoul has long held that North Koreans are technically its own citizens and has committed to accepting them if they choose to come. The issue has already moved through diplomatic channels: in March, the two countries' foreign ministers agreed to resolve it in line with international law and humanitarian principles, and in July, President Lee and Ukraine's president discussed it again in person on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

In his speech, the Ukrainian president accused North Korea's leadership of treating its own soldiers like goods traded for compensation, and warned that Asian countries have likely already seen evidence of North Korea's improved missile and drone technology. Ukrainian intelligence separately estimates North Korea has deployed several thousand troops to Russia — including drone units tasked with reconnaissance and strike missions — putting the total at around 8,500.

In Korea right nowIn South Korea, the story is resonating less as a diplomatic footnote and more as a real-world test of the constitutional principle that North Koreans are South Korean citizens. It's also reviving debate over what happens to North Korea's deployed troops more broadly, as Pyongyang's military ties with Moscow show no signs of cooling.

FAQ

Why are these two men treated as South Korean citizens?

South Korea's constitution defines North Korean territory as part of the country, making North Koreans potential citizens. Seoul has long said it will accept them if they clearly express a wish to resettle in the South.

When and where were they captured?

They were captured by Ukrainian forces during fighting in Russia's Kursk region in January of last year.

Since when have South Korea and Ukraine been discussing this?

The two countries agreed in March to resolve the matter under international law and humanitarian principles, and revisited it at a summit meeting in Turkey in July.