▲ South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (R) and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, shake hands during their talks in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8, 2026. (Yonhap)
▲ President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit defense industry forum in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7, 2026. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) S Korea-Ukraine-summit

(LEAD) Lee, Zelenskyy agree to handle N. Korean POWs in Ukraine on humanitarian grounds

(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES throughout with more info in paras 1-4, photo)

ANKARA, July 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed Wednesday to handle North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine on humanitarian grounds while respecting their wishes, a South Korean official said.

The leaders reached the agreement during their summit held on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Ankara, according to Lee's spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.

Two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in early 2025 after being deployed to Russia's Kursk region in support of Moscow, and they have reportedly expressed their desire to come to South Korea.

"The two leaders agreed that the issue of North Korean prisoners (of war) in Ukraine will be addressed in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles while respecting their wishes," Kang said.

The bilateral summit came as Lee was attending this year's NATO summit as the leader of one of NATO's partner countries, while Zelenskyy joined the event to call for Ukraine's membership in NATO with the war with Russia entering its fifth year.

South Korea's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said the previous day that Seoul pledged to provide US$100 million won in assistance to Ukraine on the occasion of Lee's attendance at the NATO summit as a demonstration of its commitment to international peace and security.

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