Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has announced on Saturday that Kyviv is ready to exchange captured North Korean soldiers to their leader Kim Jong Un for Ukrainians held in Russia.
North Korea has reportedly sent around 11,000 troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. This deployment is part of a broader strategy by Russia to bolster its manpower without resorting to a second mobilization. However, neither Russia nor North Korea has acknowledged that North Koreans have been deployed to fight against Ukraine. The captured North Korean soldiers, who were found in Russia‘s Kursk region, claimed they were unaware they were participating in an actual war.
Zelenskiy said on the social media platform X (Twitter), and I quote “In addition to the first captured soldiers from North Korea, there will undoubtedly be more. It’s only a matter of time before our troops manage to capture others.”
Zelenskiy‘s proposal is as bold as it is controversial. He stated publicly that Ukraine is willing to hand over these North Korean soldiers to their leader, Kim Jong Un, if he can arrange for the release of Ukrainians held captive in Russia. This announcement comes after Ukraine captured two North Korean soldiers on Saturday, marking the first time such an event has been reported since North Korea’s involvement in the conflict began last autumn.
Zelenskiy claim that Russian and North Korean forces had suffered heavy losses in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He posted a video showing the interrogation of the two North Korean soldiers, with one lying on a bed with bandaged hands and the other sitting with a bandage on his jaw.
According to one of the soldiers, he had been told he was on a training exercise and he did not know he was fighting against Ukraine. Zelenskiy said “One of them (soldiers) expressed a desire to stay in Ukraine, the other to return to Korea.”
Zelenskiy’s offer could be seen as a bold move to compel Russia and North Korea into a tight corner. By making this proposal, Zelenskiy is not only highlighting the presence of North Korean troops in Russia but also putting pressure on Kim Jong Un to respond. If Kim agrees, it could open the door for further negotiations and potentially more prisoner exchanges. If he refuses, it could expose the extent of North Korea’s involvement in the conflict and strain its relationship with Russia.
