Human Rights Advocates Urge Ukraine to Permit North Korean POW Defection

Human rights groups are urging Ukraine to permit North Korean POWs to seek asylum in South Korea to avoid repatriation consequences. Following the capture of two soldiers, activists warn against forced return under Geneva Convention violations. North Korea’s military deployment in Russia, driven by strategic ties, has incurred significant casualties, prompting discourse on military cooperation and its implications.

Human rights organizations are urging Ukraine to permit captured North Korean soldiers to seek asylum in South Korea to prevent potential execution upon repatriation. In a letter addressed to Ukraine’s embassy in Seoul, the Transitional Justice Working Group, along with eight other organizations, highlighted the likelihood of severe consequences or death that would follow their return to North Korea.

The call for asylum follows the capture of two North Korean soldiers in January 2024 in Russia’s Kursk region. While President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed exchanging the soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia, activists argue this action would contravene Article 45 of the Geneva Convention, which strictly prohibits the forced return of individuals facing persecution.

Since 2024, it has been reported that North Korea has dispatched between 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia, representing its largest deployment abroad since the Korean War. This troop movement is a consequence of the heightened relations between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin, solidified during their summit in June 2024 when they are believed to have signed a mutual assistance agreement.

North Korean soldiers are presently serving predominantly as light infantry within Russian military units, employing falsified documents to obscure their identities. They assume defensive positions and actively engage in trench warfare, while their commanders, including three identified North Korean generals, orchestrate operations from rear positions.

Ukrainian intelligence sources report that over 3,000 North Korean troops, or around 40% of their initial deployment, have sustained casualties by January 2025. Following a three-week hiatus from combat, North Korea has been alleged to dispatch an additional contingent of 3,500 soldiers for training in Russia’s Far East.

North Korea has secured significant benefits through its military cooperation with Russia. This includes increased shipments of essential resources such as oil and an estimated $540 million profit from arms sales in 2023, mainly to Russia, according to a South Korean intelligence-affiliated think tank.

Additionally, the Institute for the Study of War asserts that North Korea is utilizing the Ukraine conflict as a “vital learning opportunity” to evaluate its military capabilities against Western weaponry and enhance combat experience. This collaboration not only reinforces North Korea’s anti-Western sentiment but may also realign strategic dynamics within the Korean Peninsula.

This cooperation infringes upon U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874, which forbids the exportation of military forces or arms by North Korea, provoking international disapproval and new sanctions from the United States and South Korea.

Advocates for human rights contend that if North Korean prisoners of war are given the chance to defect, it could prompt additional soldiers to surrender, potentially diminishing Pyongyang’s support for Russia. South Korean lawmaker Yu Yong-weon reported that during his visit to Ukraine in February, one captured soldier expressed a clear intention to defect, while the other was undecided.

In summary, human rights groups are pressing Ukraine to allow North Korean prisoners of war the right to seek refuge in South Korea, emphasizing the severe consequences they would face if returned to North Korea. The ongoing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia violates international resolutions and poses significant strategic challenges. The situation is further exacerbated by the potential implications on North Korea’s military alignment and the safety of its soldiers.

Original Source: www.dailynk.com