Human Rights Groups Advocate for North Korean POW Asylum in South Korea
Human rights organizations are urging Ukraine to allow captured North Korean soldiers to seek refuge in South Korea instead of facing potential execution if repatriated. The call follows Ukraine’s capture of two North Korean prisoners, highlighting the risks they face under the Geneva Convention. North Korea’s military involvement with Russia has escalated, contributing to significant casualties among its troops while raising concerns about international security and human rights violations.
Human rights organizations are urging the Ukrainian government to permit captured North Korean soldiers to seek refuge in South Korea, rather than face repatriation to their homeland where they risk execution. An open letter directed to Ukraine’s embassy in Seoul, signed by the Transitional Justice Working Group and eight other organizations, emphasizes the severe repercussions that would likely follow any forced return to North Korea.
The call for action arose following the capture of two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region earlier this year. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed the idea of exchanging these soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia; however, activists contend that this approach would contravene Article 45 of the Geneva Convention, which forbids the forced repatriation of individuals subject to persecution.
Recent intelligence reports reveal that North Korea has dispatched between 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia since 2024, marking the most significant overseas military engagement by Pyongyang since the Korean War. This increase in military cooperation is a result of strengthened relations between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin, solidified during their summit in June 2024.
North Korean troops primarily operate as light infantry within Russian military units, utilizing forged identities. They take on defensive roles and contribute to trench warfare, while North Korean officers coordinate battles from a distance. Notably, Ukrainian intelligence has pinpointed three North Korean generals involved in these operations, among them Colonel General Kim Yong Bok of the special forces.
Casualties among the North Korean forces have been significant, with estimates suggesting that over 3,000 have been killed or injured by early 2025, constituting approximately 40% of their initial deployment. Following this, North Korea reportedly dispatched an additional 3,500 soldiers for training in Russia’s Far East.
In exchange for its military support, North Korea has benefited from increased Russian exports of oil and essential goods. Moreover, a South Korean intelligence-affiliated think tank estimated that North Korea accrued around $540 million from arms sales in 2023, predominantly to Russia.
The Institute for the Study of War has highlighted that North Korea perceives the conflict in Ukraine as a vital opportunity to enhance its military capabilities, allowing it to experiment with weapons against Western-supplied systems and gain practical combat experience. This alliance further solidifies North Korea’s anti-Western rhetoric and may alter strategic dynamics on the Korean Peninsula.
This military cooperation stands in contradiction to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874, which explicitly prohibits North Korea from weapon exports or military deployments. Consequently, the situation has sparked international outrage and prompted fresh sanctions from both the United States and South Korea.
Human rights advocates argue that permitting North Korean POWs to defect may motivate additional soldiers to surrender, thereby weakening Pyongyang’s support for Russia. During a visit to Ukraine in February, South Korean lawmaker Yu Yong-weon shared that one captured soldier displayed a clear intent to defect, while the other remained uncertain about their decision.
In conclusion, human rights groups are fervently calling on Ukraine to allow captured North Korean soldiers to seek asylum in South Korea to evade severe punishment if returned to their homeland. The substantial military ties between North Korea and Russia underline the gravity of this situation, compounded by estimates of significant casualties among deployed North Korean troops. Granting North Korean POWs the opportunity to defect could diminish Pyongyang’s military support and ultimately reshape regional security dynamics.
Original Source: www.dailynk.com
