North Korean Soldiers Who Fought for Russia Defect to South Korea
Two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia in Ukraine arrived in South Korea after expressing a wish to defect, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced at the UN General Assembly. The pair were taken in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025 and had been held in Ukraine for about 20 months. South Korea's foreign ministry confirmed the transfer but declined to disclose details, citing safety concerns.
The transfer followed months of quiet diplomatic coordination between Kyiv and Seoul. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the soldiers' arrival during his UN General Assembly address, noting the difficulty of their capture—one reportedly attempted suicide upon realizing he would be taken prisoner. The soldiers had communicated their defection intentions through interviews and handwritten letters while in Ukrainian custody.
South Korean authorities acknowledged the handover but withheld operational details, citing personal safety concerns. The two men traveled via an unnamed third country, arriving days before the public announcement. Diplomatic groundwork included a July summit between President Lee Jae-myung and Zelensky in Ankara, alongside earlier ministerial-level contacts between the two governments.
This defection could offer Seoul rare firsthand intelligence on North Korean military operations abroad, potentially informing assessments of Pyongyang's international military cooperation and troop readiness. The case may also shape South Korean public perception of North Korean soldiers' morale and conditions. However, the secrecy surrounding the transfer suggests both governments remain cautious about provoking North Korean retaliation or endangering the defectors' families still in the North.