Zelenskyy says Ukraine sent two North Korean POWs to South Korea

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the UN General Assembly that Ukraine has sent two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. The soldiers were captured in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025 and had expressed a desire to defect. South Korea's foreign ministry declined to confirm operational details of the transfer, citing the prisoners' safety.

South Korea has expressed "strong regret" over Ukraine's disclosure of a transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, accusing Kyiv of violating a nondisclosure agreement and falsely denying it existed. Ukraine's presidential office denied any confidentiality agreement, saying it was strange to keep the transfer secret. South Korea says the dispute seriously hampers bilateral trust and it is considering additional measures.