A Ukrainian official body overseeing prisoner of war affairs disclosed its meeting with South Korean activists pushing for the repatriation of North Korean prisoner of wars (POWs) to South Korea. This revelation comes amid uncertainty over communications between Seoul and Kyiv regarding the soldiers’ fate. All eyes are now on Ukraine’s stance concerning the repatriation, following the public announcement of the meeting on May 10.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s POW Treatment Coordination Headquarters announced via social media on May 9 that its chief, Brigadier General Dmytro Usov, met with six North Korean human rights advocates, including Jang Se-yul, a North Korean defector heading the Korean Unification Coalition, and Professor Kang Dong-wan from Dong-A University.
Key topics discussed included adherence to international humanitarian law, the illegal involvement of North Korean troops in the Ukraine conflict, and international pressure on aggressor nations like Russia.
Jang stressed that North Korean POWs face severe risks, including punishment and human rights violations, if repatriated to North Korea. All activists present signed a joint resolution urging international intervention to verify the POWs’ free will and prevent forced repatriation. The resolution garnered support from 166 human rights organizations.
Ukraine’s unprecedented disclosure of this meeting with civilian activists, in contrast to its silence on interactions with the South Korean government, suggests a strategy to engage South Korea on the North Korean POW issue through various channels. However, Ukraine’s official position on repatriating these soldiers to South Korea remains unclear.
This meeting follows reports of Russia inquiring about the possibility of repatriating North Korean POWs. Some analysts speculate that Ukraine publicized this meeting to gain leverage in negotiations with Russia.
On May 4, the POW office director told a state news agency that Russia had repeatedly asked about transferring North Korean POWs during negotiations.
The South Korean government has previously stated its commitment to actively pursue the repatriation of North Korean soldiers through various means. It considers North Korean soldiers as citizens under its constitution and pledges to accept all who wish to come to South Korea. Furthermore, it opposes forced repatriation to Russia or North Korea against the soldiers’ will and promises to provide necessary protection and support in accordance with relevant laws.
Two North Korean soldiers were deployed to the Battle of Kursk in October 2024 and captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025.
In March of the following year, one prisoner expressed a desire to defect to South Korea, with the second soldier also deciding to defect in October, confirming both soldiers’ wish to relocate to South Korea.