The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRC) has decided to reintroduce a proposal in two weeks, urging the government to focus on the repatriation of two North Korean soldiers captured in the Russia-Ukraine war.
On Monday afternoon, the NHRC held its sixth plenary session in Jung-gu, Seoul, discussing for about 90 minutes a recommendation to protect the lives, physical well-being, and mental health of North Korean prisoners of war in Ukraine, as well as humanitarian measures for their entry into South Korea.
The proposal, jointly introduced by NHRC members Lee Han-byeol, Han Seok-hoon, and Kang Jeong-hye, calls on the ministers of foreign affairs, unification, defense, and the director of the National Intelligence Service to initiate necessary diplomatic discussions. It also urges the government to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations (UN) Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Lee, the lead proponent, stated that media reports indicate these soldiers clearly wish to come to South Korea. They are suffering severe mental distress due to prolonged abuse and war trauma, with multiple confirmed suicide attempts.
He added that in this critical situation, relying solely on government responses during parliamentary questioning is far too precarious. Given the complex circumstances within Ukraine, it cannot afford to overlook these issues.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reportedly communicated to the NHRC that it will accept all North Korean soldiers wishing to come to South Korea and that forced repatriation to Russia or North Korea against their will is absolutely unacceptable.
However, some committee members expressed opposition during the meeting, leading to the decision to revisit the proposal in two weeks. NHRC Commissioner Lee Sook-jin suggested that it needs to refine the wording and content regarding what specific efforts the NHRC should urge. It’s necessary to confirm the North Korean soldiers’ wishes through a neutral rights organization
Commissioner Jo Sook-hyun opposed the proposal’s introduction, arguing that the NHRC should first review whether the government has verified the current status and safety of the North Korean soldiers, and at what stage and for how long discussions have taken place.
The plenary meeting was attended by members of North Korean defector groups, including the Korea Unification Alliance and the North Korean Human Rights Promotion Center. They held signs with messages such as Repatriation is a death sentence, The Foreign Ministry must request ICRC visits to prisoners, and The government should lead efforts to repatriate North Korean soldiers.
It’s worth noting that two North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine early last year expressed their intention to defect to South Korea, but their repatriation process has seen no progress for nearly a year.
The meeting also included a report on complaints, consultations, and recommendations received by the NHRC last year.
The NHRC issued 104 recommendations, including 29 policy recommendations and 75 opinions, marking a 30% increase from the previous year. The number of complaints received reached 11,199, a 12.3% increase (1,225 cases) compared to the same period last year. However, the number of processed complaints decreased by 1.6% (166 cases), totaling 10,025.
