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South Korean Opposition Urges Diplomatic Mission to Retrieve Two North Korean POWs from Ukraine

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Opposition Lawmaker Calls for Full Diplomatic Effort South Korean opposition lawmaker Rep. Yu Yong‑weon urged President Lee Jae Myung to dispatch special envoys to Kyiv to negotiate the return of two North Korean prisoners of war held in Ukraine [1]. He framed the captives as individuals yearning for freedom rather than mere enemy combatants, citing media reports that they want to be sent to South Korea [1]. Yu invoked the Third Geneva Convention and the principle of non‑refoulement to argue they should not be repatriated to North Korea [1].

Prisoners’ Desired Destination and Legal Arguments Reports indicate the two North Korean soldiers expressed a preference for relocation to South Korea instead of returning to the North [1]. Yu contended that sending them back would breach non‑refoulement obligations and violate protections under the Third Geneva Convention, which forbid returning individuals to places where they face persecution [1]. He presented the issue as both a legal and moral responsibility for South Korea [1].

North Korean Military Presence Provides Geopolitical Context Since October 2024, Pyongyang has deployed thousands of troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, heightening the diplomatic sensitivity of any repatriation talks [1]. The article notes this involvement as background to the opposition’s urgency. Yu previously met the two prisoners during a February visit to Kyiv, documenting the encounter with photographs [1].

Domestic Political Pressure Intensifies The People Power Party’s demand reflects broader criticism of the Lee administration’s handling of North Korean affairs [1]. By proposing a special envoy, Yu aims to accelerate direct negotiations with Ukrainian authorities and secure the prisoners’ transfer to South Korea [1]. No official response from the president’s office has been reported as of the article’s publication [1].

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Timeline

Oct 2024 – North Korea sends thousands of troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, marking its first large‑scale overseas deployment since the Korean War and deepening Pyongyang’s ties with Moscow. This deployment underpins later diplomatic disputes over North Korean POWs captured in the conflict[1][2].

Jan 2025 – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy writes online that two North Korean soldiers, captured while fighting for Russia in Russia’s Kursk region, are now held as prisoners of war by Ukrainian forces. His statement publicly confirms the captives’ status and location[2].

Feb 2025 – Opposition lawmaker Yu Yong‑weon travels to Kyiv and meets the two North Korean POWs, taking photographs with them and publicly describing them as “potential South Korean members who yearn for freedom.” His on‑site visit signals South Korea’s emerging personal involvement in the case[1].

Oct 2025 – The two North Korean POWs draft a heartfelt letter to a defectors’ group in Seoul, declaring, “South Koreans are our parents and brothers” and stating that their capture “is the beginning of a new life.” The letter, delivered in December, provides direct evidence of their desire to defect[2].

Dec 1, 2025 – Two South Korean nationals are detained in southwestern Iran on smuggling charges after a November 20 arrest; South Korean diplomatic officials begin consular assistance and monitor the case, marking the first such incident involving Korean citizens in Iran[5].

Dec 3, 2025 – The Unification Ministry announces it is pursuing repatriation of elderly former North Korean POWs while President Lee Jae‑Myung tells reporters, “I have never heard of South Korean detainees in North Korea,” indicating a lack of government awareness of inter‑Korean detainee issues[3].

Dec 3, 2025 – The South Korean presidential office confirms that six South Korean citizens—including three missionaries arrested in 2013‑2014 and three defectors—are detained in North Korea on espionage charges, and pledges to resume inter‑Korean talks to secure their release[4].

Dec 24, 2025 – South Korea notifies Ukraine that it will accept the two North Korean POWs if their defection intent is verified; activist Jang Se‑yul says the prisoners’ letter “confirms their desire to move to South Korea.” The government’s conditional acceptance adds diplomatic pressure on Kyiv to facilitate repatriation[2].

Jan 22, 2026 – Opposition lawmaker Yu Yong‑weon urges President Lee Jae‑Myung to dispatch special envoys to Kyiv to negotiate the POWs’ transfer to South Korea, citing the Third Geneva Convention and the non‑refoulement principle: “They should not be sent back to North Korea where they face persecution.” The call frames the repatriation effort as both a legal and moral imperative[1][1].

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