Ukrainian president says he is ready to exchange North Korean troops in exchange for Ukrainian soldiers
The President of Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelensky, has said that Ukraine is prepared to hand over captured North Korean soldiers to their Leader – Kim Jong Un, in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia.
Zelenskyy revealed that Ukraine had taken 2 North Korean soldiers prisoner in Russia’s Kursk region, marking the first time North Korean troops have been captured alive since their reported involvement in the nearly three-year conflict. As per Ukraine and the West, around 11,000 North Korean troops have been deployed in the Kursk region to support Russian forces.
Taking it to X, Zelenskyy tweeted,
In addition to the first captured soldiers from North Korea, there will undoubtedly be more. It’s only a matter of time before our troops manage to capture others. There should be no doubt left in the world that the Russian army is dependent on military assistance from North… pic.twitter.com/4RyCfUoHoC
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 12, 2025
He posted a short video showing the interrogation of 2 soldiers who are presented as North Korean soldiers. One of them was shown lying on a bed with bandaged hands, the other was sitting with a bandage on his jaw. One of the men said through an interpreter that he did not know he was fighting against Ukraine and had been told he was on a training exercise. He said he hid in a shelter during the offensive and was found a couple of days later. He said that if he was ordered to return to North Korea, he would, but that he was ready to stay in Ukraine if given the chance. He added that Ukraine might offer options for those who choose not to return to North Korea, including opportunities to promote peace by sharing the truth about the conflict in the Korean language.
The South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) has reported that approximately 300 North Korean troops deployed to Russia have been killed, with another 2,700 injured. A South Korean lawmaker briefed by the NIS attributed the high casualties to a lack of familiarity with modern warfare and the way Russian forces employed North Korean troops.
According to the NIS, memos recovered from deceased soldiers suggest North Korean authorities had urged troops to commit suicide rather than risk capture, promising vague rewards such as potential pardons or joining the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea.
Captured soldiers reportedly have not expressed interest in defecting to South Korea, though Seoul has stated its readiness to cooperate with Ukraine if there is such a request. Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine is open to facilitating the repatriation of North Korean troops in exchange for Ukrainian soldiers, emphasizing his commitment to the safe return of his country’s captives.
