[Mexico City = E-Daily Reporter Kim Sang-yoon ] As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly announced that two North Korean prisoners of war captured by the Ukrainian military had been sent to South Korea, the South Korean government has effectively acknowledged this. While the Blue House and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that they have been conducting necessary consultations with relevant countries and agencies, including Ukraine, they did not disclose specific details regarding whether the individuals had entered the country, nor the timing or route of their arrival, citing concerns for the safety of the individuals and their families.

In a statement released on the 23rd (local time), the Blue House stated, “The government has consistently maintained the position that the issue of North Korean prisoners of war in Ukraine must be resolved in a manner that respects the free will of the individuals involved and complies with international law and humanitarian principles.”
It went on to explain, “In accordance with this position, we have engaged in necessary communication and consultations with relevant countries and organizations, including the Ukrainian side.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed the same position. The ministry has consistently maintained the principle of recognizing North Korean prisoners of war as citizens of the Republic of Korea under the Constitution and accepting all of them if they request to come to South Korea. It also plans to provide them with the necessary protection and support in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
However, the government remained tight-lipped regarding the specific details of their handling. A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official stated, “This is a sensitive matter concerning the personal safety of the individuals involved and their families,” adding, “It is difficult for us to confirm details regarding the handling of individual cases, including whether they will be accepted, the timing, the route, or the specific contents of the consultations between the two countries.”
Earlier that day, President Zelenskyy announced during his address at the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, “We recently sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea.”
President Zelenskyy reported that one of the prisoners attempted to take his own life upon realizing he had been captured. He remarked, “In North Korea, people are raised in a way that strips them of their freedom and right to choose,” and asked, “Why should North Koreans have to sacrifice their lives in the war against Ukraine?” He also criticized North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, accusing him of “using soldiers like currency to gain something in return.”
The two North Korean prisoners of war were captured by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region of Russia last January. Since then, they have expressed their desire to go to South Korea through media interviews and handwritten letters sent to domestic organizations for North Korean defectors.
From the outset of the situation, the South Korean government conveyed to the Ukrainian side its intention to accept them if they wished to come to South Korea and has continued relevant consultations. During their summit last July, President Lee Jae-myung and President Zelenskyy also agreed to respect the free will of the individuals concerned and to resolve the prisoner issue in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles.
During the process of handling the detainees, the principle of “non-refoulement”—which stipulates that individuals must not be returned to a country where they face a risk of persecution against their will—was cited as a key criterion. Even as Russia and Ukraine proceeded with prisoner exchanges, the two men, who had expressed their desire to go to South Korea, were excluded from the exchange.
If the two were to enter the country, they would likely undergo identity verification and protection procedures by relevant agencies. However, due to the unique nature of their situation—as prisoners of war captured while deployed in the Russia-Ukraine war—the investigation and resettlement support procedures may differ from those typically applied to North Korean defectors.