How North Korean POWs caught Seoul in a Ukraine arms ‘ conundrum’

Ukraine’s unresolved decision regarding two North Korean prisoners of war who have said they want to go to South Korea has given Kyiv leverage as it presses Seoul to sell weapons for its war against Russia, observers say.

The soldiers, captured in early 2025 after being deployed to Kursk to support Russia’s war effort, are considered South Korean nationals under Seoul’s constitution, which defines the entire Korean peninsula as the country’s territory.

Seoul has said it would be willing to accept the soldiers if they chose to defect.

While Ukraine has indicated it will not forcibly repatriate North Korean POWs against their will, it has yet to make a final decision on the two soldiers’ fate because the issue is also tied to prisoner exchange negotiations with Russia.

Kyiv’s campaign for South Korean arms has gained urgency as it struggles to secure enough affordable weapons from Western partners, while Seoul remains wary of sending lethal aid to an active war zone.

The European Union is also pressing Seoul to allow arms shipments to Ukraine, with a possible contract to build submarines for Canada seen by observers as a potential incentive.