Ukraine has transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced in an address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

"Recently, we sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea," Zelenskyy said in his speech.

The two soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025, in the first known apprehension of North Korean troops since their deployment to the conflict in 2024.

Zelenskyy offered a brief account of the capture. "These guys are not easy to capture alive," he said. "One of them, when he realised he was going to be taken prisoner, tried to kill himself. And he was shocked that fate did not let him die."

He provided no further details regarding the transfer.

Zelenskyy strongly criticised Pyongyang's involvement in the war, questioning why North Korean soldiers were giving their lives in a conflict against Ukraine.

"Kim Jong Un uses them like currency and gets something in return," he said, adding that "countries across Asia have likely already noticed North Korea's enhanced ballistic missiles and significantly advanced drone capabilities."

Ukrainian and South Korean estimates indicate that North Korea has deployed approximately 15,000 soldiers to support Russia's war effort since 2024, primarily in the Kursk border region.

Zelenskyy had previously stated he would consider returning the captured soldiers to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia. Human rights groups, however, urged him to repatriate the men to South Korea, citing the risk of punishment they would face upon return. South Korean media reported that both soldiers had expressed a desire to defect to South Korea.

South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not deny Zelenskyy's remarks but declined to confirm operational details of the transfer, citing individual safety and family protection.

The issue had been a key topic at a summit held in Ankara in July, where South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met Zelenskyy. Senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung stated afterwards that both leaders agreed to resolve the status of North Korean prisoners of war in Ukraine in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles, while respecting the free will of those involved.

That agreement built on an earlier understanding reached during a South Korea-Ukraine foreign ministers' meeting in March, where both nations pledged to cooperate on the prisoner of war issue under the same humanitarian framework.