New YorkUkraine sent 2 North Korean prisoners to South Korea.
South Korea’s media reported both men, captured in Kursk in January 2025, wanted to defect.
Zelenskyy had floated swapping them to North Korea for Ukrainian prisoners, until human rights groups warned of punishment.
Seoul’s foreign ministry neither denied the transfer nor confirmed details, citing the men’s safety.
Zelenskyy gave no further details, and Seoul cites family protection for its silence.
How each outlet framed it
drawn from 90+ reports worldwide
- Al Jazeera Online
- frames North Korean soldiers as 'currency' exchanged for technology, emphasizes conscript's suicide attempt as coercion evidence
Sources: Al Jazeera Online