Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine is ready to exchange captured North Korean soldiers for Ukrainian captives held in Russia. This statement comes a day after he revealed the capture of two wounded North Korean soldiers.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Zelenskyy shared this proposal on the social media platform X, posting in English, Ukrainian, and Korean. He disclosed that the North Korean soldiers were captured in Russia's western Kursk region. "Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un's soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia," Zelenskyy stated, indicating the possibility of more captures in the future.

Zelenskyy emphasized the dependency of the Russian army on North Korean military assistance, suggesting that Russia cannot function without support from Pyongyang. He also mentioned alternatives for any North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return home, including opportunities for those who want to promote peace by sharing the truth about the war in Korean.

The Ukrainian president accompanied his proposal with a video showing the interrogation of the two captured North Korean soldiers through a Korean interpreter. One soldier, lying on a bunk with bandaged hands, appeared confused when asked about his current location and the nature of his mission. He revealed that he was under the impression they were on a training exercise and expressed a desire to remain in Ukraine.

The second soldier, with a bandaged chin, indicated a wish to return home but was uncertain if his family was aware of his situation. South Korean officials estimate that North Korea has dispatched about 11,000 troops to aid Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. Reports from South Korea's spy agency indicate that at least 100 North Korean soldiers have been killed and approximately 1,000 wounded in the ongoing war.