Human rights organizations are calling on Ukraine to permit captured North Korean soldiers to seek refuge in South Korea due to the grave dangers they face if sent back to North Korea, where punishment or execution is likely. The appeal follows Ukraine’s capture of two soldiers, while significant military ties between North Korea and Russia have been solidified in the ongoing conflict, raising complex international legal and ethical issues.
Human rights organizations are urging Ukraine to permit captured North Korean soldiers to seek refuge in South Korea, highlighting the dangers they face if repatriated. In an open letter addressed to Ukraine’s embassy in Seoul, the Transitional Justice Working Group alongside eight other entities cautioned that returning these individuals to North Korea could result in severe punishment or execution.
This appeal comes in light of Ukraine’s capture of two North Korean soldiers in January 2024 in Russia’s Kursk region. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed the possibility of exchanging these prisoners for Ukrainians detained by Russia, but activists contend this action would contravene Article 45 of the Geneva Convention, which forbids the forced repatriation of individuals facing persecution.
Recent intelligence has indicated that between 10,000 and 12,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Russia since 2024, marking the country’s most significant military engagement abroad since the Korean War. This military collaboration between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin was solidified during their summit in June 2024, where they signed a mutual assistance agreement.
These North Korean forces generally act as light infantry within Russian military units, often using forged documentation to conceal their identities. They primarily take defensive positions and provide support for trench warfare, while senior North Korean officers manage operations from strategic locations. Ukrainian intelligence has identified three North Korean generals linked to these operations, including Colonel General Kim Yong Bok, who oversees special forces.
Reports of combat casualties among North Korean soldiers have been severe, with Ukrainian intelligence estimating that over 3,000 personnel, or approximately 40% of their initial forces, were killed or injured by January 2025. Following a brief absence from the battlefield, North Korea purportedly dispatched a second wave of 3,500 soldiers for training in Russia’s Far East.
In return for its military assistance, North Korea receives substantial compensations, including increased oil and commodity exports from Russia. A think tank affiliated with South Korean intelligence estimates that North Korea gained around $540 million from arms sales in 2023, largely attributed to transactions with Russia.
Furthermore, the Institute for the Study of War has identified the Ukraine conflict as a critical opportunity for North Korea, allowing its military to utilize weapons against Western systems and gain practical combat experience. This cooperation bolsters North Korea’s anti-Western narrative while potentially altering strategic conditions on the Korean Peninsula.
This alliance explicitly contravenes U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874, which prohibits the exportation of military forces or arms by North Korea, leading to global condemnation and renewed sanctions imposed by the United States and South Korea.
Moreover, human rights advocates propose that allowing North Korean POWs to defect could motivate additional soldiers to surrender, thereby weakening North Korea’s military collaboration with Russia. South Korean lawmaker Yu Yong-weon, who visited Ukraine in February, reported that one captured North Korean soldier exhibited a clear intention to defect, while the other’s stance remained uncertain.
This article emphasizes the urgent appeal of human rights groups for Ukraine to allow captured North Korean soldiers the chance to seek asylum in South Korea, thereby protecting them from potential execution upon repatriation. The context of the ongoing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is crucial, as it implicates international law and human rights issues while revealing significant strategic alliances. The plight of the North Korean POWs could influence wider military and diplomatic dynamics in the region.
Original Source: www.dailynk.com
