South Korea is willing to provide protection and support to North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine if they seek asylum, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday. The statement comes after a North Korean soldier detained by Ukraine expressed his intention to defect.
In an interview with Chosun Ilbo, published on Wednesday, one of the two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine stated his desire to flee to South Korea. This would be the first known case since North Korea sent around 11,000 soldiers to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.
This soldier is one of the two wounded fighters captured last month by Ukrainian forces during a clash in the Russian region of Kursk.
“North Korean soldiers are constitutionally recognized as our citizens, and respecting their free will regarding repatriation is a principle of international law,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
The government added that it will offer protection and support to those seeking to come to the South, in line with its policy of accepting all individuals who wish to take refuge in the country. It also confirmed that it has already conveyed this stance to Ukraine and will maintain communication with Kyiv to coordinate the situation.
The Ministry emphasized that no individual should be forcibly returned to a place where they may face persecution.
Additionally, it expressed concern over how the two captured soldiers were exposed, including the publication of their faces in media reports. According to the Third Geneva Convention, prisoners of war must be treated humanely, and the release of their images could endanger both them and their families.
The captured soldier, identified as Ri, stated that he never knew he would be sent into combat against Ukraine, as he was told he was going to Russia as a student in training. He also claimed that North Korean authorities led him to believe that the South Korean military was behind the drone attacks.
