SEOUL: Two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces arrived safely in South Korea a few days ago, an opposition lawmaker said Thursday, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly disclosed that Kyiv had transferred the prisoners of war to Seoul.
Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the main opposition People Power Party said the two soldiers had entered South Korea several days earlier, although the government has stopped short of officially confirming their arrival, citing concerns over their safety and that of their families.
“We understand that the two arrived safely in the Republic of Korea several days ago,” Yu said at a press conference at the National Assembly. An Assembly official, speaking on condition of anonymity, later told reporters that the two had arrived three or four days earlier.
Yu has been closely involved in the case since visiting Ukraine in February 2025, when he personally met the two captured soldiers and confirmed that they wished to come to South Korea. He has since repeatedly called on Seoul to negotiate their transfer and returned to Ukraine earlier this year to press the issue.
Yu said he had learned of their arrival beforehand but had withheld the information from the public in consideration of the soldiers' safety, diplomatic relations and the national interest.
His remarks came after Zelenskyy revealed the transfer during an address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday (US time).
“Recently, we sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea,” Zelenskyy said, referring to South Korea by its official name.
“These guys are not easy to capture alive. One of them, when he realized he was going to be taken prisoner, tried to kill himself and he was shocked that fate didn't let him die.”
The two soldiers were taken prisoner in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025 after North Korea dispatched thousands of troops to fight alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine.
Both later indicated that they wanted to resettle in South Korea, conveying their wishes through media interviews and a Seoul-based North Korean defector organisation.
South Korea's presidential office and Foreign Ministry on Thursday effectively acknowledged that consultations had taken place over the soldiers but declined to confirm whether they had arrived in South Korea.
“The government has consistently maintained that the issue of North Korean prisoners of war in Ukraine should be resolved in a manner that respects the free will of the individuals concerned and is consistent with international law and humanitarian principles,” a presidential office official said.
The official said Seoul had engaged in “necessary communication and consultations” with Ukraine and other relevant countries and organisations.
But the official declined to disclose whether the soldiers had been transferred, or when and how such a transfer may have taken place.
“This is a sensitive matter concerning the safety of the individuals concerned and their families,” the official said. “It is difficult to confirm whether the individuals have been handled, the timing and route, or specific details of consultations between the two countries.”
The remarks echoed a statement issued earlier by the Foreign Ministry following Zelenskyy's address.
President Lee Jae Myung and Zelenskyy had agreed during their summit on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara in July to address the issue of North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine on humanitarian grounds while respecting their wishes.
Yu said Thursday that he welcomed the soldiers' arrival and thanked both governments for facilitating their transfer.
“I would like to express my deep respect and support for the courageous decision of the two young men, who survived life-or-death situations on a brutal battlefield and chose freedom of their own will,” he said.
Yu, however, criticised Seoul for allowing news of the transfer to emerge first through Zelenskyy rather than through an official South Korean announcement.
“It is regrettable that such a significant matter was first made known through President Zelenskyy rather than through an official announcement by our government,” Yu said.
“As a sovereign state, and as the government responsible for embracing and protecting them as citizens of the Republic of Korea under our Constitution, our government should have taken a more proactive and leading role.”
Yu suggested Seoul's cautious approach may have reflected diplomatic considerations surrounding relations between North Korea and Russia, though the government has not publicly given such an explanation.
If their arrival is confirmed, the two North Korean soldiers are expected to come under the protection of South Korean authorities and undergo procedures for North Korean defectors.
Yu said their rehabilitation and resettlement should now be the priority, calling for government support to help them recover from physical and psychological trauma.
“The most urgent task is to help these two young men settle safely and successfully into our society,” he said.
Yu also called for the soldiers to eventually be given an opportunity to provide firsthand accounts of North Korea's troop deployment to Russia, as long as doing so would not jeopardise their safety.
“I hope an opportunity will be arranged soon for them to tell our people directly about the reality of North Korean troops' participation in the war in Ukraine, to the extent that their safety can be ensured,” he said.
Against this backdrop, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in New York on Wednesday, as both were attending the high-level segment of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
The Foreign Ministry said the two ministers discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, but its statement on the meeting made no mention of the North Korean POWs.
Cho reiterated South Korea's commitment to supporting Ukraine, recalling Seoul's latest assistance pledge announced at the NATO summit, according to the ministry.
Sybiha thanked Seoul for its assistance and expressed hope that Ukraine would continue working closely with South Korea and the broader international community towards peace and recovery. - Korea Herald/ANN
