Ukraine sent two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea, Zelenskiy says - reuters.com

Ukraine has transferred two North Korean soldiers who were captured by Ukrainian forces to the Republic of Korea, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. The men were taken into custody in Russia’s Kursk region in January of the previous year during fighting that involved Ukrainian troops operating on Russian territory.

Zelensky said the two prisoners were handed over to South Korean authorities as part of a humanitarian gesture. He did not provide details on the legal status of the soldiers or the specific mechanism of the transfer, but confirmed that the handover had been completed.

During a press briefing, Zelensky recounted that one of the captured soldiers attempted to take his own life at the time of his capture. He added a remark about the upbringing of individuals in North Korea, stating, “This is how they raise people in the North,” without elaborating further.

The transfer follows a broader pattern of Ukraine’s handling of foreign combatants captured in the ongoing conflict with Russia. The two North Korean soldiers had been fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk area when they were detained by Ukrainian units.

South Korean officials have not yet released a statement on the arrival of the prisoners or the next steps in their processing. The move underscores the complex international dimensions of the war, involving multiple countries and the treatment of foreign nationals captured in combat.