[Don't Cry Kyiv] Ukraine prepares for N. Korean POWs

[Anchor]

This is news about the Ukraine war.

President-elect Trump has stated that he will talk with Russian President Putin and Ukraine President Zelensky to end the war.

However, on the battlefield, fighting is intensifying to gain a favorable position for negotiations.

We connect to our reporters dispatched to Ukraine.

Reporter Kim Cheol-young, what do local sources say about when the war might end?

[Report]

Officials and citizens that our reporters met in the Ukrainian government are saying that they will not end the war in its current state.

Even if peace negotiations begin through Trump's mediation, there is a strong will to reclaim the territories lost to Russia.

During our visit, the issue of North Korean troops participating has recently come to the forefront.

President Zelensky has posted a video claiming that North Korean soldiers are actively participating on the front lines, showing footage of what he asserts are the bodies of North Korean soldiers.

On the other hand, Russian President Putin, who has begun to receive support from North Korean troops, is raising his voice, claiming that he has secured the initiative on all fronts.

If it is true that the North's troops have appeared at the front lines, there may be cases where some are captured or surrender.

The Ukrainian military is distributing leaflets encouraging North Korean troops to surrender.

KBS's Lee Seung-cheol reports on preparations for handling prisoners of war.

[Report]

The U.S. government has confirmed for the first time that North Korean troops have been deployed to the front line in Kursk, resulting in dozens of casualties.

North Korean troops are becoming the 'target' of the Ukrainian military, and Ukraine has criticized Russia for trying to hide not only their deployment but also the facts of the casualties.

["Tell them to wear a mask? (There’s no one I know here.)"]

[Volodymyr Zelensky/Ukraine President: "Russia is trying to hide the losses of North Korean troops."]

If North Korean troops are captured, the reality of their deployment may be revealed, so KBS interviewed the Ukrainian military's prisoner processing headquarters.

Currently, there are no North Korean prisoners, but officials predict that captures could be possible by early next year.

[Petro Yatsenyko/Major/Ukrainian POW Handling Department Spokesperson: "It is too early to talk about North Korean prisoners at this point, but if the deployment of North Korean troops continues, there may be prisoners next year."]

The prisoner processing headquarters also stated that they are dropping leaflets written in Korean saying "I want to live" to encourage the North's troops to surrender.

Interestingly, the leaflets include a photo of Kim Il-sung, which they believe will be effective in leading to surrenders.

[Petro Yatsenyko/Major/Ukrainian POW Handling Department Spokesperson: "Thousands of these leaflets can be packed into shells and dropped into their positions or trenches."]

The Ukrainian military has stated that they will provide sufficient food and medical support to North Korean prisoners.

This is in accordance with the Geneva Conventions, but emphasizing this is also interpreted as a measure to encourage surrenders.

This is Lee Seung-cheol reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine for KBS News.