Zelenskyy says Ukraine sent two North Korean POWs to South Korea

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced at the UN General Assembly that Ukraine has transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. The soldiers, captured in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025, attempted to commit suicide upon their capture. Zelenskyy criticized North Korea’s involvement in the conflict, accusing Kim Jong Un of using these soldiers as currency and enhancing North Korea’s missile and drone capabilities. He did not provide further details about the transfer but mentioned the possibility of exchanging them for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia.