Captured North Korean Soldier Seeks Normal Life in South Korea

A South Korean lawmaker reported that a North Korean soldier captured in Ukraine desires to live a normal life in South Korea. He shared that the soldier hopes to reunite with his parents and seeks assurance about rights and a future there. Under South Korean law, North Korean soldiers are considered citizens, raising concerns about their potential repatriation to North Korea, which could lead to dire consequences.

A South Korean lawmaker reported that a North Korean soldier held by Ukrainian forces expressed a desire to live a “normal life” in South Korea. Following a commitment from Seoul to grant citizenship to captured North Korean troops, the National Intelligence Service had earlier revealed that Ukrainian military captured two North Korean soldiers from a total of approximately 10,000 dispatched by Kim Jong Un to participate in the war alongside Russia against Ukraine.

Lawmaker Yu Yong-weon met the two captives in a detention facility after gaining approval from Ukrainian authorities. During a press briefing, he shared his emotional reaction upon meeting the soldiers, emphasizing feelings of compassion and empathy. One soldier conveyed a wish to relocate to South Korea to eventually reunite with his family and inquired about his potential rights and prospects for a fulfilling life there.

Yu reiterated that the South Korean constitution recognizes all Koreans as citizens, including those in North Korea, which extends protection to captured troops in Ukraine. He cautioned against repatriation to the North, labeling it as an “essentially a death sentence,” given that North Korean soldiers are reportedly ordered to commit suicide if captured. Yu indicated that these soldiers had witnessed fellow soldiers take their own lives in such scenarios.

Yu stressed the importance of protecting North Korean soldiers, referencing a past case in 2019 when South Korea expelled two North Korean men accused of murder, marking the first repatriation since the Korean War. Images published later raised concerns when one individual appeared to resist the handover, illustrating the complexities surrounding the treatment and repatriation of North Korean defectors and POWs.

The situation involving captured North Korean soldiers highlights the legal and humanitarian issues surrounding POW treatment and repatriation. With South Korea’s constitutional acknowledgment of all Koreans as citizens, there is potential for these soldiers to integrate into South Korean society. However, the threats they face upon repatriation underscore the dire circumstances surrounding military service in North Korea. This case raises significant ethical and geopolitical questions regarding the treatment of POWs and defectors of North Korea.

Original Source: www.voanews.com