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North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine: exchanges, diplomacy and possible defections
Kiev shows the world the two captured North Korean soldiers: possible exchanges with Ukrainian prisoners, while Seoul watches closely. Diplomacy and rights at stake
The capture of two North Korean soldiers by the Ukrainian military in Russia’s Kursk region is shaking the diplomatic balance of three nations. Kiev has started to release videos of the captive soldiers, shedding light on the involvement of Asian troops alongside Russian troops in the conflict territories. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed the possibility of a swap deal: Kim Jong-un’s soldiers will be returned to Pyongyang, provided the North Korean regime favours the release of Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia.
South Korea has also entered the picture. Seoul has stated that should North Korean soldiers seek asylum or wish to defect, the government intends to hold talks with Ukraine to facilitate their transfer. This move aligns with the South Korean Constitution, which considers all residents of the Korean peninsula as citizens of South Korea. However, at the moment, no official request has been made by the prisoners.
A South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed that Seoul is in contact with the Ukrainian authorities regarding the matter. The capture was also verified by South Korean intelligence, which assured close cooperation with Ukraine to better manage the situation.
On Sunday, Zelensky posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) in which the two North Korean soldiers appear wounded and answer questions posed by their captors. ‘After the first captured North Korean soldiers, there will undoubtedly be more,’ Zelensky said, adding that it is only a matter of time before Ukrainian forces succeed in blocking further troops sent by Kim Jong-un’s regime. ‘The Russian military is now clearly dependent on military assistance from North Korea,’ he said.
Zelensky then opened to the possibility of an agreement with Pyongyang for a prisoner exchange, but specified that soldiers who did not want to return to North Korea might have other options. In particular, those who wish to contribute to peace by spreading the truth about this war will be welcomed.
In the video, one of the captured soldiers stated that he did not know he had been sent to fight against Ukraine. ‘I was told it was just an exercise,’ he explained, adding that during an offensive on 3 January he had seen many of his comrades die. The soldier had gone into hiding until 5 January, when he was discovered by Ukrainian forces. When asked if he wished to return to North Korea, one of the prisoners answered in the affirmative, while the other expressed a willingness to remain in Ukraine, however, leaving the final decision in the hands of the authorities.
The prospects for these soldiers remain uncertain, between the possibility of a return home, a diplomatic exchange or defection.
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