South Korea to Accept North Korean POWs from Ukraine Seeking Asylum

Captured North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia express desire to defect, prompting South Korea to affirm its constitutional stance on recognizing them as citizens.

• South Korea has announced it will grant asylum to North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine who wish to defect, in line with its constitutional recognition of all Koreans as citizens.
• The decision follows reports of two North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces, one of whom has expressed a strong desire to seek refuge in South Korea.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that North Korean POWs could either be exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia or allowed to defect if they choose.
• South Korea's foreign ministry emphasized that international law prohibits repatriating individuals to countries where they may face persecution, reinforcing its commitment to protect defectors.
• The deployment of North Korean troops to Russia has drawn criticism from South Korea, with officials condemning the practice as deceptive and inhumane.

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