Anna Hartz
South Korea ready to accept two North Korean soldiers held by Ukraine
The war in Ukraine has drawn in countries far beyond Europe. North Korea’s military support for Russia has created new questions about the future of soldiers captured on the battlefield and where they could eventually end up.
Soldiers captured earlier this year
South Korea said on June 23 that it is willing to accept any North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukraine if they choose to settle in the South, reports the Kyiv Independent.
The announcement comes as Ukraine continues to hold two North Korean soldiers who were captured by Ukrainian forces earlier this year. The soldiers had been sent to Russia’s Kursk region to fight alongside Russian troops.
According to previous reports, both men expressed a desire to defect to South Korea instead of returning to North Korea.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said it opposes any forced return of North Korean prisoners to either Russia or North Korea. Officials said Seoul has already shared this position with the Ukrainian government.
South Korean and Ukrainian foreign ministers are expected to meet in Seoul on June 30. The issue could be discussed during those talks.
Neither Russia nor North Korea has publicly responded to South Korea’s latest statement.
Preventing torture
Last month, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said international law protects the North Korean prisoners being held by Ukraine. He referred to the principle of non-refoulement. This principle prevents countries from sending people back to places where they could face persecution, torture or other serious dangers.
North Korea is believed to have sent between 14,000 and 15,000 troops to Russia’s Kursk region in late 2024. South Korean intelligence estimates that around 6,000 of those troops had been killed or wounded by early 2026.
Reports have also suggested that North Korean soldiers were ordered not to be captured. According to those reports, troops were told to take their own lives if necessary rather than surrender.
Daily NK has also reported that North Korean authorities have praised soldiers who killed themselves instead of being taken prisoner. The government has described those actions as heroic.
The fate of the two captured soldiers remains uncertain. Their case has drawn international attention as questions continue over how prisoners from North Korea should be treated under international law.
