Ukraine considers transferring captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea
Ukraine is considering handing over two North Korean soldiers captured in combat to South Korea, but only if the soldiers themselves choose not to return to their homeland, said Ukrainian Ambassador to South Korea, Dmytro Ponomarenko, in an exclusive interview with The Korea Times.
"Considering the life-threatening risks for North Korean soldiers were they to be repatriated back to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and if they themselves refuse to return, we are open to dialogue with international partners, specifically the Republic of Korea, about the possibility of transferring them to third countries," Ponomarenko stated. He emphasized the sensitivity of prisoner exchange negotiations, cautioning that "premature comments on this matter could negatively affect the process."
Under the Geneva Conventions, Ukraine is mandated to repatriate the soldiers if they express a desire to return to North Korea. However, with neither Pyongyang nor Moscow having officially acknowledged North Korean military involvement in the conflict against Ukraine, such a repatriation poses significant challenges.
As a reminder, on February 5, The Washington Post disclosed detailed accounts of Ukraine's capture of the two North Korean soldiers. Earlier, on January 22, troops from the 95th Separate Amphibious Assault Brigade shared unique insights into the capture of a North Korean soldier.