Paris: The foreign ministers of South Korea and Ukraine have reached an agreement to address the issue of two North Korean soldiers captured during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The resolution will be pursued in alignment with international law and humanitarian principles, as reported by Seoul's foreign ministry on Saturday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the discussions between South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha took place in France during a Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers meeting. The primary focus was on the situation of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) and other related issues.

The two North Korean soldiers were apprehended by Ukrainian forces in January last year while fighting alongside Russian troops. The South Korean government has expressed its intention to facilitate their transfer to South Korea, as the POWs have reportedly expressed a preference for relocating there rather than returning to North Korea.

On March 6, Minister Cho informed a parliamentary session in Seoul that Ukraine has given assurances that the two soldiers will not be returned to Russia, addressing concerns that they might be sent back to North Korea against their will.

Earlier this month, Rep. Yu Yong-weon from the main opposition People Power Party mentioned following a visit to Ukraine that Russia had included the soldiers in a list of prisoners it wanted to be released in a POW exchange.

In addition to these discussions, Minister Cho participated in the G7 foreign ministers' meeting near Paris on Thursday and Friday, addressing maritime security and other global issues. He also engaged in bilateral talks with counterparts from eight countries, including the United States and France.

The G7 foreign ministers' meeting this year had attendees from South Korea, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine. The member states of the G7 are the U.S., Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and Canada.