{
  "id": 9473244,
  "title": "S. Korean gov't effectively confirms repatriation of N. Korean POWs from Ukraine",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/s-korean-govt-effectively-confirms-repatriation-of-n-korean-pows-from-9473244",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-24T03:02:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/northkorea/20260924/s-korean-govt-effectively-confirms-repatriation-of-n-korean-pows-from-ukraine"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Korea's government formally acknowledged on Thursday the repatriation of two North Korean soldiers who were taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces, following a disclosure by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea emphasized that they have always believed the resolution of this issue should be done with respect for the prisoners' autonomy and in line with international law and humanitarian standards. In line with this stance, the ministry engaged in necessary communication and consultations with Ukraine and other relevant entities, according to a quoted official. While the ministry did not outright contradict Zelenskyy's statement, it effectively confirmed their involvement in the discussions surrounding the prisoners' transfer. The ministry refrained from disclosing specifics about the individual status of the prisoners, the timing, route, or the particulars of the bilateral talks, citing the delicate nature of the matter. The two North Korean soldiers had been captured by Ukrainian forces.",
  "summary": "The government effectively confirmed the repatriation of North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces, Thursday, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that two prisoners of war (POWs) had been sent to South Korea. South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Seoul has consistently maintained that the issue should be resolved in a manner that respects the prisoners' free…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "S. Korean gov't effectively confirms repatriation of N. Korean POWs from Ukraine",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/s-korean-govt-effectively-confirms-repatriation-of-n-korean-pows-from",
        "published": "2026-09-24T02:47:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "KBS World Radio",
        "title": "Foreign Ministry Effectively Confirms Ukraine’s Transfer of N. Korean POWs to S. Korea",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/foreign-ministry-effectively-confirms-ukraines-transfer-of-n-korean",
        "published": "2026-09-24T03:33:09.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}