What happened
South Korea has expressed strong regret over Ukraine's disclosure of the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to Seoul in January 2025. The information was revealed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, sparking outrage in South Korea.
According to Zelensky, the captured North Korean soldiers were fighting for Russia in Ukraine. He also stated that it is difficult to capture North Korean soldiers alive, as they tend to commit suicide when faced with capture. An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 North Korean troops have been sent to aid Russian forces in Ukraine.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has been pursuing a deal with North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief. He criticized Zelensky's disclosure, stating that the issue of repatriating North Korean prisoners of war is highly sensitive and significantly impacts diplomacy, national security, and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea had requested that Ukraine not return the North Koreans to their home country due to the severe persecution they would likely face for getting captured alive. Zelensky has claimed that Russia wants an additional 30,000 North Korean troops to aid in the invasion of Ukraine.
