KYIV—Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is ready to hand over captured North Korean soldiers to Pyongyang in exchange for the return of Ukrainian POWs held in Russia.
Zelenskyy’s offer came hours after South Korea’s National Intelligence Service confirmed Ukraine’s announcement from the previous day that it had captured two North Korean soldiers.
Kyiv said during the weekend they had been wounded fighting Ukraine’s troops in Russia’s Kursk region, but at the time did not provide any proof of their nationality.
But on Sunday, the NIS told AFP it had “confirmed that the Ukrainian military captured two North Korean soldiers on Jan. 9 in the Kursk battlefield in Russia.”
In a post on X Sunday, Zelenskyy said: “Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un’s soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia.”
There would “undoubtedly be more” North Korean soldiers captured by Kyiv, he added.
“For those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available,” said Zelenskyy.
“In particular, those who express a desire to bring peace closer by spreading the truth about this war in Korean will be given that opportunity.”
Ukraine, the United States and South Korea have accused nuclear-armed North Korea of sending more than 10,000 soldiers to help bolster Russian forces.
Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has acknowledged that North Koreans have been deployed to fight against Ukraine.
The two countries have boosted their military cooperation since Russia launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“There should be no doubt left in the world that the Russian army is dependent on military assistance from North Korea,” said Zelenskyy.