**Ukraine Open to Negotiating with South Korea Over North Korean POWs**
The Ukrainian government is willing to talk to South Korea about the possible transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers, according to Ambassador Dmytro Ponomarenko.
These soldiers were captured in Russia’s Kursk Oblast last January. They were injured in combat and are receiving medical treatment. President Volodymyr Zelensky described their capture as “irrefutable evidence” of Pyongyang’s involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine has not yet had formal talks with South Korea about the transfer, but Ponomarenko says they are ready to discuss it with international partners. He notes that if the soldiers refuse to return home, there is a threat to their life and freedom.
Under the Geneva Conventions, Ukraine would have to repatriate the soldiers if they choose to go back home.
**Background: North Korean Troops in Russia**
About 8,000 North Korean soldiers are still fighting against Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast. Up to 12,000 were deployed there last fall to support Russian forces. It’s estimated that at least 300 have been killed and over 2,700 wounded.
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