00:00Ukrainian President Zelensky disclosed the fact that two North Korean prisoners of war
00:04were sent to South Korea in his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York.
00:08President Zelensky questioned why North Koreans should sacrifice their lives in the war against
00:12Ukraine and stated that Ukraine had sent two captured North Korean prisoners of war to South
00:16Korea. His remarks are drawing keen attention given that detailed information regarding their
00:20custody and whether they would be sent to South Korea had not been officially disclosed until now.
00:25President Zelensky argued that the people of North Korea are not guaranteed the right to
00:29choose freely. He pointed out that in North Korea, people are thrown into war under state control,
00:34noting that North Korean soldiers were forced to participate in the Russia-Ukraine war against
00:38their will. He then asked rhetorically whether North Koreans should be given more time to learn how to
00:42wage war, strongly criticizing North Korea's support for Russia. In particular, he also claimed that
00:47Kim Jong-un is utilizing the North Korean military in the process of cooperating with Russia.
00:51President Zelensky claimed that Kim Jong-un is using the North Korean military to gain something in
00:55return, adding that the military cooperation between North Korea and Russia will enhance North Korea's
01:00military capabilities, noting that not only North Korea's ballistic missile technology, but also its drone
01:05capabilities are advancing, and that Asian countries are likely paying close attention to this. The two North
01:10Korean prisoners of war mentioned this time are individuals who were captured alive by the Ukrainian
01:14military in January 2025. It is reported that after being taken prisoner, they have expressed their desire to
01:19defect to South Korea through handwritten letters delivered to a South Korean defector group. It has also been
01:23reported that they directly expressed their desire to start a new life in South Korea rather than return to
01:28North Korea. It is understood that the South Korean government has quietly been pursuing the transfer of
01:32these North Korean prisoners of war to the country, but it has not officially announced that the prisoners have
01:36actually entered South Korea. However, this fact came to light when President Zelensky directly mentioned their
01:41journey to South Korea on an international stage at the UN General Assembly. This remark is drawing
01:46international attention not only to the deployment of North Korean troops to the Russian and Ukrainian front lines,
01:51but also to how the captured North Korean soldiers will be handled in the future and the issue of their
01:55defection. In particular, it seems necessary to pay close attention to the procedures that will be
01:59followed if North Korean soldiers wish to go to South Korea, as well as how military cooperation
02:04between North Korea and Russia will unfold moving forward.
