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Zelensky Reveals North Korean POW Transfer to Seoul

By Drooid · Sep 26, 2026, 10:52 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Lee Jae-myung Warns

President Lee Jae-myung said Ukraine broke a pact by announcing North Korean POWs transferred to Seoul.
President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the handover in his 23 September United Nations General Assembly speech.
President Lee Jae-myung and President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed at the July 2026 NATO summit to keep the transfer confidential.
President Lee Jae-myung warned that disclosure would be reckless after opposition lawmakers accused him of secrecy.

Summary

Zelensky Warns

Seoul estimates Pyongyang has deployed 16,000 soldiers to Russia since October 2024, with 25,000 total rotations.
Zelensky warned that up to 50,000 North Korean troops may be sent to Russia, exceeding his earlier 30,000 estimate.
Ukrainian intelligence estimates about 8,500 North Korean personnel remain in Russia, organized into four Kursk-border brigades.
BBC-cited Seoul statements say North Korean forces suffered roughly 3,000 deaths in 2024.

History

Historical Context

The Korean Armistice Agreement of July 1953 ended the Korean War and mandated a massive prisoner-of-war exchange. The United Nations Command, led by General Mark Clark, oversaw the swap of 75,823 POWs between North Korea, China, and South Korea. Today, President Lee Jae-myung’s secret disclosure of North Korean POWs transferred to Seoul echoes the 1953 secrecy concerns that once strained U.N.–Korean negotiations. The 1953 exchange taught that opaque handling of POWs fuels diplomatic friction, warning current leaders that further leaks could jeopardize NATO-Ukraine cooperation.

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Lee Jae-myung Warns

President Lee Jae-myung said Ukraine broke a pact by announcing North Korean POWs transferred to Seoul.
President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the handover in his 23 September United Nations General Assembly speech.
President Lee Jae-myung and President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed at the July 2026 NATO summit to keep the transfer confidential.
President Lee Jae-myung warned that disclosure would be reckless after opposition lawmakers accused him of secrecy.

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