InternationalThursday, 24 September 2026·The Hindu - International
Ukraine transfers two North Korean POWs to South Korea amid Russia war fallout
Zelenskyy told the UN General Assembly in September 2026 that Ukraine had sent two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea.
Key highlights
Direct fact
On September 23, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the United Nations General Assembly that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea.
Key specifics
- The statement was made at the UN General Assembly on September 23, 2026.
- Ukraine had captured the two North Koreans in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025.
- They were described as the first North Korean soldiers apprehended alive since North Korea joined the Russia-Ukraine war in 2024.
- South Korea said in June 2026 that it would accept all North Korean prisoners of war who fought for Russia.
- Ukrainian and South Korean estimates put North Korean troop support for Russia at around 14,000 to 15,000 soldiers since 2024.
Exam lens
Question type: International relations and conflict geography. TNPSC may ask about the UNGA, Kursk region, 2024 North Korea’s entry into the war, and South Korea’s June 2026 position on POWs.