Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has offered to exchange two captured North Korean soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners of war currently held by Russia. The proposal, which he announced on X, highlights the growing international dimensions of the conflict and the involvement of foreign forces in Russia’s war effort.
“For those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available,” Zelensky wrote. He indicated that soldiers willing to contribute to peace by spreading the truth about the war in their native Korean language would be given opportunities to do so.
The two captured soldiers, taken prisoner on January 9, are being held in Kyiv under the care of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). According to officials, the soldiers are receiving medical attention after being injured during combat. Both men, who speak only Korean, are being interrogated with the assistance of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service.
Details about the prisoners shed light on their unexpected presence on the frontlines of the Ukraine-Russia war. One of the soldiers, reportedly born in 2005, revealed during questioning that he had been serving as a rifleman in the North Korean military since 2021. He claimed he was sent to Russia under the impression he would be receiving “training” rather than participating in active combat. Ukrainian officials found him in possession of a Russian military ID card, though the card was issued in the name of another individual. The document listed the soldier’s birthplace as Turan, a location in the Russian republic of Tuva, which borders Mongolia.
The second soldier, born in 1999, has been serving as a scout sniper for North Korea since 2016. Due to a jaw injury, he provided some of his answers in writing during questioning. Unlike his counterpart, this soldier carried no identification documents when captured.
The SBU suspects that Russia is attempting to obscure the presence of North Korean troops by issuing them identification documents falsely linking them to territories under Moscow’s control. Reports from the captured soldiers suggest that North Korean combat units underwent only a week of training before deployment.
Ukraine’s capture of these two soldiers has further exposed the reliance of the Russian military on foreign fighters. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service previously reported that North Korea sent at least 10,000 troops to support Russia’s war efforts. Among them, over 300 have reportedly been killed in action, and approximately 2,700 have been wounded.
Zelensky shared photographs of the captured soldiers on X, showing their injured states. One photo depicts a soldier with bandages around his head and chin, while the other shows a soldier with both hands heavily wrapped in bandages. These images, though offering insight into the condition of the prisoners, have raised questions about compliance with the Geneva Convention. The international treaty mandates that prisoners of war must not be exposed to public curiosity and must be questioned in a language they understand.
The Ukrainian president’s statement also sought to highlight the strategic and material challenges facing Russia in its ongoing war effort. “There should be no doubt left that the Russian army is dependent on military assistance from North Korea,” Zelensky declared.
While Ukraine’s account of the soldiers’ capture has not yet been independently verified by international media outlets such as the BBC, it aligns with other reports regarding North Korea’s involvement in the conflict. In December, South Korea’s intelligence agency reported the death of a North Korean soldier who had been captured while fighting for Russia.
The involvement of North Korean soldiers in the war underscores the global implications of the Ukraine-Russia conflict. As Russia increasingly turns to international allies for support, the human cost continues to rise for those drawn into the conflict under coercion or false pretenses. The unfolding situation raises significant concerns about the exploitation of foreign troops and the lengths to which Russia is willing to go to sustain its military campaign.
Zelensky’s offer, if accepted, could potentially pave the way for a humanitarian resolution, bringing Ukrainian POWs closer to freedom while exposing the broader consequences of international entanglements in the war.
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