North Korean POWs on 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange list, details revealed
Photo: Ukraine did not include in the 1000-for-1000 exchange North Korean POWs (V_Zelenskiy_official)
Ukraine and Russia have conducted a large-scale prisoner exchange in a 1000-for-1000 format. North Korean prisoners were not on the list, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reports.
Two North Korean soldiers held in captivity in Ukraine did not take part in the recent prisoner exchange between Kyiv and Moscow.
According to South Korean lawmaker Yu Yong-weon, the soldiers, surnamed Ri and Baek, were excluded from the exchange list at Seoul's request to Kyiv.
South Korea is ready to receive them if they wish to defect. One of the prisoners, Ri, has expressed a desire to move to South Korea.
According to the media outlet, the lawmaker met with both soldiers during a visit to Ukraine in February. He said that Ri fears repatriation to North Korea due to the threat of punishment for himself and his family.
Since October 2024, North Korea has been actively deploying its troops on Russia's side in the war against Ukraine.
Participation of North Korean troops in war against Ukraine
Last year, North Korean authorities sent their military personnel to fight in Russia's war against Ukraine. At present, they are stationed for combat operations in Russia's Kursk region.
The Chief of Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, stated that North Korean forces are gaining valuable combat experience and improving their weapons systems while engaging in battles in the Kursk region and cooperating with Russia.
Budanov also stated that Russia has upgraded North Korean KN-23 missiles, making them more accurate during strikes.
As of early February, North Korean forces lost around 4,000 soldiers in the battles with Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region.
