Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, posted on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account that two North Korean soldiers, who were captured and injured, have been transferred to Kyiv and are undergoing interrogation by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
On the 29th, the government announced that with North Korea and Russia formalizing North Korean troop deployment to Russia, the captured North Korean soldiers by Ukrainian forces could officially be considered “prisoners of war.”
A representative from the Ministry of Unification stated that now that North Korea has become a belligerent party, the status of the captured soldiers could officially be deemed prisoners of war. Prior to the official acknowledgement of deployment by North Korea and Russia, there was speculation that these individuals might be treated as “refugees,” which could have led to negotiations for their potential defection to South Korea or Ukraine. However, as prisoners of war, North Korea could cite the Geneva Conventions to demand their repatriation.
Furthermore, the official noted that the recognition of troop deployment by North Korea’s Central Military Commission adds significant military cooperation officially with Russia, as the commission is the highest military decision-making body according to North Korean party regulations.
As to why the formalization of deployment came now, one theory is that it might be related to Russia’s upcoming 80th Victory Day anniversary on May 9th, as they might want to declare the “reclamation of Kursk,” requiring acknowledgment of North Korea’s role in the process.
It is unclear whether the North Korean soldiers currently in Kursk will withdraw or remain for reconstruction efforts, which could turn into foreign currency-earning ventures post-war. The official also noted that a North Korean military delegation has traveled to Russia to attend the 3rd International Anti-Fascist Conference, and whether there are other purposes for their visit remains to be seen.
On the 28th, North Korea officially recognized for the first time that its troops contributed significantly to Russia’s efforts to regain territory in Kursk. Russia had also acknowledged this assistance on the 26th, marking the first official recognition of North Korea’s troop deployment.