SEOUL, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Two North Korean prisoners of war held by Ukraine have expressed their desire to start a "new life" in South Korea, according to a letter seen by AFP on Wednesday. North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia's nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies. Previous reports have indicated that the two men, held captive by Kyiv since January after sustaining injuries on the battlefield, were seeking to defect to the South. "We firmly believe that we are never alone, and we think of those in South Korea as our own parents and siblings and have decided to go into their embrace," they wrote. The letter is signed by the two soldiers, whose names AFP has been asked to withhold to protect their safety.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha December 24, 2025 05:05 UTC