Zelensky says South Korea seeks return of North Korean POWs

October 5, 2026 at 03:20 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on October 4 that South Korea has requested the handover of captured North Korean soldiers. He warned that North Korean troops are gaining combat experience and technology from Russia, including jet-engine drone capabilities. The remarks come amid diplomatic tensions between Seoul and Kyiv over the repatriation of prisoners.

Key Facts

Zelenskyy said South Korea asked for the handover of North Korean soldiers, citing the Korean Constitution.
The remarks on October 4 were his first public position since revealing the repatriation at the UN General Assembly last month.
Zelenskyy said North Korean troops captured by Ukraine had received shared experience and training from Russia, including drone operation and electronic warfare defense.
He confirmed Russia has shared jet-engine drone technology with North Korea.
Zelenskyy said he is sharing information about the North Korean military with Japan.

POW Repatriation Request

Zelenskyy told reporters on October 4 that South Korea had asked for the handover of North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces. He noted that under the Korean Constitution, the captured soldiers are also Korean citizens. The statement was his first public comment on the issue since he announced the repatriation of North Korean POWs in a speech at the UN General Assembly last month. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung had expressed regret, saying Ukraine broke a private agreement related to the repatriation of prisoners. Zelenskyy did not directly address Lee's protest, according to Reuters.

North Korean Military Training

Zelenskyy said the North Korean prisoners captured by Ukraine differed from the North Korean soldiers first dispatched to Russia. He said they had received shared experience and training, including how to operate drones and defend against electronic warfare. Zelenskyy called the fact that North Korean troops have gained knowledge and experience in actual combat a very dangerous factor. He argued that if Russia trains 50,000 North Korean troops for combat deployment, the related knowledge is shared with hundreds of thousands of North Korean soldiers. Zelenskyy said cooperation between Ukraine and Japan is very important in this respect and serves the interests of both sides.

Russia-North Korea Technology Sharing

Zelenskyy confirmed that Russia has shared new technologies related to jet-engine drones with North Korea. Asked whether Russia may have transferred jet-propelled drone technology to North Korea, he answered, "Yes. Of course." He said Russia shares all technologies with North Korea, though he did not know exactly which ones, such as ballistic missiles, have been shared. Zelenskyy said he thinks such technologies have also been shared because North Korea supported Russia with missiles.