Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced a potential prisoner exchange plan, offering to return two captured North Korean soldiers to their homeland in return for Ukrainian prisoners held in Russia. Zelensky emphasized the option for those North Korean soldiers who choose not to return, suggesting alternatives for them to contribute to peace by sharing their insights about the ongoing conflict.
The two North Korean soldiers were reportedly captured on January 9. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed that both are currently in Kyiv, receiving medical attention and are being questioned with assistance from South Korean intelligence officials.
Images shared by Zelensky on social media revealed the injured men. One photo included a Russian military ID claiming a place of birth in the Tuva Republic, adjacent to Mongolia. According to the intelligence service, one soldier possessed a military ID under a different name while the other had no documentation.
During interrogations, one soldier claimed to have received the ID in Russia in the autumn of 2024 and stated that North Korean combat units were undergoing training rather than engaging in combat against Ukraine, as reported by the SBU. Meanwhile, Zelensky’s office accused Russia of concealing the soldiers’ true origins by providing false identities.
The captured individuals have unique backgrounds, with one claiming military service in North Korea since 2021 and the other since 2016. The second prisoner, who suffered a jaw injury, communicated some responses in writing.
According to the Geneva Convention, interrogation should occur in a language understood by the prisoners, and their privacy must be protected. Ukraine and South Korea previously indicated that North Korea had dispatched around 10,000 troops to support Russia. Reports from the White House indicate that these North Korean forces are experiencing significant casualties.
In a recent statement, Zelensky asserted that there is no doubt regarding the Russian army’s reliance on military support from North Korea.
