Ukraine keeps captured North Korean soldiers in custody as questions remain over their future

North Korea began deploying troops to support Russia’s war effort in 2024, with South Korean intelligence and Ukrainian officials estimating that thousands of North Korean personnel were sent to Russia. Only a small number are known to have been captured alive, but their cases have attracted international attention because of questions over whether they should be returned to North Korea, transferred to South Korea or remain in Ukrainian custody.

The most detailed public explanation of Ukraine’s position comes from the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Ukrainian government body responsible for prisoner of war (POW affairs), following an inquiry from the Seoul-based Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR).

Ukraine’s response to the inquiry

In a letter dated 16 June 2026, NKHR chairman Kim Suk-woo asked Ukrainian authorities about the status, treatment, legal protections and possible future arrangements for captured North Korean soldiers. The organisation said the request was based on humanitarian concerns and sought information consistent with international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions.

Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters provided the following information:

• Identities and locations remain undisclosed: Ukrainian authorities said the names of captured North Korean soldiers and their detention locations would not be released because of security concerns. The policy is consistent with Ukraine’s broader approach to POW information.
• Detention follows Ukrainian law: Authorities cited Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers regulations governing POW detention, treatment procedures and record management.
• Prisoners receive medical care and basic provisions: The response said POWs are held in specialised facilities and provided with food, clothing, hygiene supplies and medical treatment. Each prisoner undergoes a medical examination after arrival.
• Legal assistance is available: Ukraine said captured soldiers are entitled to legal protections under the Third Geneva Convention and can receive assistance through Ukrainian and international human rights organisations.
• International monitoring is permitted: The government said humanitarian organisations, including the UN Human Rights Office and the International Committee of the Red Cross, have access to POW facilities. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine – Treatment of Prisoners of War reports provide additional information on international monitoring of POW conditions.

Transfer to South Korea has not taken place. Ukraine said that after discussions between Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, Kyiv decided not to transfer the prisoners to South Korea and informed Seoul through official channels.

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Forced return is prohibited. Ukrainian authorities said the prisoners are protected from forced repatriation under international law, including safeguards against torture and inhumane treatment.

South Korea’s offer and Ukraine’s decision

South Korea has repeatedly said it would accept any North Korean prisoners who do not wish to return home. Seoul considers people from North Korea eligible for South Korean citizenship under its constitution and has said it is prepared to receive captured North Korean soldiers who request resettlement.

Reports from South Korean organisations and media outlets indicate that at least two North Korean prisoners captured in Russia’s Kursk region expressed views indicating they did not want a simple return to North Korea. In January 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released footage of interrogations involving two captured North Korean soldiers. One soldier said he wanted to remain in Ukraine, while President Zelenskyy said other options could exist for prisoners who did not wish to return.

Despite those statements and South Korea’s public position, Ukraine has decided to keep the prisoners under its own custody for now. The Ukrainian government has not provided a detailed public explanation for rejecting a transfer.

One possible factor is the strategic value of holding the prisoners in Ukraine. Kyiv used the captured soldiers’ interviews to highlight North Korea’s involvement in the war at a time when Moscow and Pyongyang had not publicly acknowledged the deployment.

President Zelenskyy previously suggested that captured North Korean soldiers who did not wish to return could help Ukraine provide information about the war in Korean. However, Ukrainian officials have not said that intelligence or communications value is the reason for keeping the prisoners in Ukraine.

Russia’s role in the case

Ukrainian officials have said Russia, rather than North Korea, sought the return of the two North Korean soldiers captured in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025. The case is legally complicated because it involves questions of nationality, custody, asylum and possible prisoner exchanges.

An uncertain future

For now, the captured North Korean soldiers remain in Ukrainian custody. They appear to be protected from forced return to North Korea, but there is no publicly announced timetable or mechanism for their eventual release, exchange or resettlement.

Their cases remain a rare intersection of the war in Ukraine, North Korea’s military ties with Russia, and the unresolved question of how states should handle foreign fighters captured on the battlefield.

Alan Callow is a graduate of Western Mindanao State University in the Philippines and is a freelance journalist with experience in writing about the Asia-Pacific region.