Zelenskyy Announces Transfer of Two North Korean POWs to South Korea During UNGA Address

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at the 81st session of the General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, US, on September 23, 2026, revealed that Ukraine has successfully transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.

“Recently, we ⁠sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea,” Zelenskyy stated during his Wednesday address, noting the difficulty of capturing them alive. He recounted that one soldier attempted suicide upon realizing he was being captured, expressing shock that he survived. Zelenskyy heavily criticized Pyongyang’s direct involvement in the conflict, accusing Kim Jong Un of treating soldiers like currency while warning that nations across Asia should take note of North Korea's advanced drone capabilities and enhanced ballistic missiles.

According to Ukrainian and South Korean estimates, approximately 15,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to back Russia’s war effort since 2024, primarily stationed in the Kursk border region. The two soldiers in question were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025, marking the first known apprehension of Pyongyang’s troops. Although Zelenskyy had previously weighed returning the prisoners in exchange for Ukrainian POWs held by Russia, human rights organizations strongly advocated for their transfer to South Korea due to the severe punishments they faced back home. Reports from South Korean media indicated that both captured individuals expressed a clear wish to defect to South Korea.

While South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs refrained from denying the remarks, it opted not to confirm the operational details, citing family protection and individual safety. The matter was previously a major focus during a July summit in Ankara, Turkiye, where President Lee Jae Myung and Zelenskyy met. Senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung noted that both leaders committed to handling the status of North Korean POWs under international law, humanitarian principles, and the free will of those involved, following a prior framework established at a March meeting between South Korea-Ukraine foreign ministers.