Korean gov't effectively confirms repatriation of North Korean POWs from Ukraine

The government effectively confirmed the repatriation of North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces, Wednesday, follwoing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's disclosure that two prisoners of war (POWs) had been sent to South Korea. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement, saying Seoul has consistently maintained that the issue should be resolved in a manner that respects the prisoners' free will and complies with international law and humanitarian principles, declining to deny the reports that the two North Korean POWs had come to the country from Ukraine. "Based on this position, we have conducted necessary communication and consultations with Ukraine as well as other relevant countries and institutions," a ministry official was quoted as saying. The ministry declined to provide details about whether individual prisoners had been transferred, or about the timing, route or specific contents of bilateral discussions, citing the sensitive nature of the matter. The government's statement did not deny Zelenskyy's disclosure that the two North Korean prisoners had bee