The two
North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk
region while fighting alongside Moscow. Zelensky announced the transfer during
his UN General Assembly address on September 23, mentioning one prisoner's
suicide attempt, which Lee said violated a confidentiality agreement due to
risks for diplomacy, security, and lives on the Korean Peninsula.
Ukraine defended sharing only the fact of the
handover, calling their nation open, while South Korean opposition criticized
the secrecy and public reactions split on trust versus transparency.
