Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that his country had recently handed over two North Korean soldiers who were captured and held as prisoners of war in Ukraine to South Korea.
Hot Topics
The human body ages in leaps and bounds Scientists identify two critical ages
From your phone screen to your data How do malicious apps sneak in and steal your secrets?
However, he did not say whether his party had received approval from North Korea regarding this action.
In his speech at the 81st Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York, United States, Zelenskyy revealed that one of the two detainees had attempted suicide when he realized he had been captured.
Reflecting on the incident, he accused the North Korean government of depriving its citizens of their freedom and rights to make decisions about their personal lives.
"Why should Koreans sacrifice their lives in a war against Ukraine?... (North Korean President) Kim Jong Un uses them like currency, and he gets rewarded for it," Zelenskyy said.
Responding to the statement, the South Korean government confirmed on Thursday that it had communicated with Ukraine and a number of other relevant countries and institutions regarding the handover of the two prisoners of war.
A South Korean Foreign Ministry official stressed that his government respects the soldiers' "free will" and stressed that the issue must be resolved in accordance with international law and basic human rights principles.
Tags:
europe
