Repatriation of North Korean POWs to South Korea Achieved After 1 Year and 8 Months
It was confirmed on the 24th that Baek and Lee, former North Korean soldiers captured as prisoners of war in the war in Ukraine, are set to travel to South Korea. The two men fought on Russia's side before being taken captive by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025 — roughly one year and eight months ago. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in his address to the UN General Assembly on the 23rd (local time) that "two North Korean prisoners of war were recently transferred to the Republic of Korea."
The two men expressed their desire to defect to South Korea through handwritten letters delivered to a South Korean defector organization and media interviews. However, since these statements were made while in Ukrainian custody, objective confirmation was needed as to whether they reflected their free will, and it is reported that their wish to go to South Korea was verified through means including interviews with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), though these were not made public [verification needed]. According to President Zelensky, one of the two men attempted suicide at the time of his capture and was seriously injured.
The South Korean government maintained the position that, as the POWs' intent to defect had been confirmed — and since under the constitution they are citizens of the Republic of Korea — it would accept them upon request, while conducting reviews under international law and holding dozens of rounds of negotiations with the Ukrainian government. At a foreign ministers' meeting in March, the two countries agreed to cooperate in resolving the North Korean POW issue in a manner consistent with international law and humanitarian principles. At their summit in July, President Lee Jae-myung and President Zelensky also aligned their resolve to respect the free will of the individuals concerned and resolve the matter in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles.
On this day, a Foreign Ministry official only stated that "necessary communication and consultations have been carried out with the relevant countries and institutions," without officially confirming the transfer to South Korea [verification needed]. A presidential office official also said, "This is a sensitive matter involving the personal safety of the individuals and their families," adding that "it is difficult to confirm whether, when, or how the individuals will be processed, or the specifics of the discussions between the two countries."
