The two North Korean prisoners of war being held in Ukraine have now both expressed their desire to defect to the South, according to an ROK civic group, while reporting that they are suffering from significant psychological distress.

The claim suggests that one of the soldiers captured while fighting as part of a DPRK contingent in support of Russia’s war against Ukraine has had a change of heart since earlier this year, when they expressed hesitancy about defecting.

Jang Se-yul, head of Gyeore’eol Unification Solidarity, told NK News that the two soldiers expressed their desire to resettle in the South