February 20, 2025
SEOUL – The South Korean government will accept any North Korean soldier captured by Ukraine upon their request of asylum, a position that has already been communicated to the Ukrainian government, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday.
The announcement followed a North Korean prisoner of war in Ukraine expressing his desire to settle in South Korea in an interview with the Chosun Ilbo newspaper released earlier in the day. The North Korean soldier, at the same time, raised questions about whether the South Korean government would grant him asylum if he applied.
“The government, based on the basic principle of accepting all of them (prisoners of war) when they request to come to South Korea and according to relevant laws, will provide necessary protection and support,” a Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity in a statement in response to a media inquiry on Seoul’s stance on North Korean prisoners of war.
“We have already conveyed this position of our government to the Ukrainian side, and will continue necessary consultations.”
The Foreign Ministry explained that under the Constitution, North Korean soldiers are still considered South Korean citizens. The Constitution defines the territory of the Republic of Korea as encompassing the entire Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands.
“And respecting an individual’s free will regarding the repatriation of prisoners of war is not only in accordance with international law and practice, but also it is viewed that they must not be repatriated to a place where there is a threat of persecution against their will,” the Foreign Ministry’s statement read.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously suggested alternatives for North Korean prisoners of war unwilling to return home, while also offering to exchange captured North Korean soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners of war held in Russia.
“Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong-un’s soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia,” Zelenskyy said a day after he disclosed the capture of North Korean soldiers. “For those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available.”
The Chosun Ilbo, a conservative South Korean daily, carried an interview with one of two North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces on Jan. 9, whose case was first revealed by Zelenskyy last month.
The two soldiers, a sniper with the surname Ri, aged 26, and a rifleman with the surname Paek, aged 21, had served 10 and four years in the North Korean military, respectively, before being dispatched to Russia’s Kursk region in October and November.
In the interview, Ri said, “80 percent have made up their minds” when asked about his future. He added, “First, I will apply for refugee status … I am thinking of going to South Korea. If I apply for refugee status, will they accept me?”
Ri detailed that he enlisted in the army in 2015 and that he was unaware he would be deployed to fight in Ukraine. He said, “I was told I’d be training as an international student. I didn’t know I would be participating in combat.”
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry also expressed regret over the Chosun Ilbo publicizing Ri’s face along with details of his personal background and family, as well as that of fellow captive Paek.
“The ministry said prisoners of war must be treated humanely, and media coverage involving them should be handled with caution under relevant agreements including the Third Geneva Convention,” a Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity in response to a question on Chosun Ilbo’s coverage.
The Foreign Ministry said it had fully explained the matter to the media outlet in question and requested their cooperation in accordance with the principles.
“Nevertheless, we express concern and regret that the facial photos of North Korean prisoners of war were exposed as they were by the media report, creating the possibility of disadvantages to the safety of themselves and their families,” the ministry’s statement added.