Lee, Zelenskyy agree to handle N. Korean POWs in Ukraine on humanitarian grounds

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed Wednesday to handle North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine on humanitarian grounds while respecting their wishes, a South Korean official said.

The leaders reached the agreement during their summit held on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Ankara, according to Lee's spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.

Two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in early 2025 af