KYIV: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday Kyiv is ready to hand over North Korean soldiers to their leader Kim Jong Un if he can organize their exchange for Ukrainians held captive in Russia.

“In addition to the first captured soldiers from North Korea, there will undoubtedly be more. It’s only a matter of time before our troops manage to capture others,” Zelenskiy said on the social media platform X.

Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Ukraine had captured two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region, the first time Ukraine has announced the capture of North Korean soldiers alive since their entry into the war last autumn.

Zelenskiy says Ukraine captured two North Korean soldiers in Kursk

Ukrainian and Western assessments say that some 11,000 troops from Russia’s ally North Korea have been deployed in the Kursk region to support Moscow’s forces. Russia has neither confirmed nor denied their presence.

Zelenskiy has said Russian and North Korean forces had suffered heavy losses.

“Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un’s soldiers to him if he can organise their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia,” Zelenskiy said.

He added that for those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available and “those who express a desire to bring peace closer by spreading the truth about this war in the Korean (language) will be given that opportunity.”

Zelenskiy provided no specific details.