Seoul and Kyiv Engage in Discussions on North Korean POW Transfer

South Korea and Ukraine are discussing the transfer of two North Korean POWs captured by Kyiv. The South Korean Foreign Minister emphasized the need for the prisoners to express a desire to relocate, as mandated by South Korean law. Approximately 12,000 North Korean troops were sent to Russia to assist in its military operations against Ukraine, resulting in significant casualties among their ranks.

On March 17, 2025, a dialogue commenced between Seoul and Kyiv regarding the potential transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) captured by Ukrainian forces. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha engaged in a phone conversation to deliberate this matter, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.

Foreign Minister Cho highlighted that the South Korean Constitution regards North Koreans as South Korean citizens; however, the prisoners must express their willingness to relocate to South Korea. This is a crucial condition for the transfer process.

It is noted that approximately 12,000 North Korean soldiers were dispatched to Russia’s Kursk Oblast amidst the ongoing conflict to assist in border defense against Ukraine’s incursions, which commenced in August 2024. Ukrainian forces effectively captured two North Korean soldiers on January 11 during these hostilities.

President Volodymyr Zelensky previously indicated that North Korean military personnel fighting on behalf of Russia experienced significant losses, with casualties totaling around 4,000, of which nearly two-thirds were fatalities. This high loss ratio has been attributed to North Korea’s inexperience in combat and its strategy of launching human wave attacks with insufficient weaponry.

The dialogue between South Korea and Ukraine signifies an important step toward the potential transfer of North Korean POWs, subject to the prisoners’ consent. This situation also underlines the broader implications of military engagement involving North Korean forces amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Original Source: kyivindependent.com