A resolution will be introduced to expedite the immediate repatriation of two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces earlier this year. The resolution will include a formal request to the Ukrainian government to ensure the safety of the North Korean prisoners and facilitate their return.
On November 30, Representative Park Chung-kwon of the People Power Party announced that he and ten other party members would propose a resolution on Monday titled, Resolution Urging the Protection of Human Rights of North Korean Prisoners in Ukraine and Their Repatriation to South Korea Based on Free Will.
The resolution, obtained by News1, calls on the South Korean National Assembly to urge the Ukrainian government and international organizations such as the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to guarantee that no forced repatriation occurs against the prisoners’ will. It also advocates for strengthened international solidarity and diplomatic cooperation to ensure the safe return of North Korean soldiers who choose freedom to South Korea.
On January 11, two soldiers from the North Korean People’s Army, deployed alongside Russian troops on the Ukrainian front in Kursk, were captured by Ukrainian forces. They subsequently expressed their desire to defect to South Korea in interviews with local media and human rights organizations.
Representative Park and his colleagues emphasized that this issue transcends mere diplomacy. It directly relates to South Korea’s constitutional obligation to protect its citizens, the principle of non-refoulement established by national security laws, and the state’s duty to uphold universal values of freedom and human rights. They stressed the urgency for the National Assembly to adopt a bipartisan resolution supporting the government’s humanitarian measures and calling for strong international solidarity.
While National Assembly resolutions lack legal binding power, they can exert significant political and diplomatic influence. Such expressions of legislative opinion can pressure the government to act in accordance with public sentiment rather than solely pursuing its own agenda.
Representative Park underscored that since the Constitution explicitly recognizes North Korean residents as citizens of South Korea, all political parties must unite to work towards their repatriation.
The resolution outlines several key points: the government must immediately fulfill its legal obligation to consider the two North Korean soldiers as citizens and protect them under constitutional provisions and relevant laws; the Foreign and Unification Ministries should formally request the Ukrainian government to transfer the prisoners to South Korea and negotiate safe return procedures; it should define the repatriation of North Koreans to their home country as a violation of international law, urging a collective international response; and the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee will oversee the government’s repatriation efforts, potentially sending a delegation for direct consultations with Ukrainian, UN, and European Union (EU) officials.
Jang Se-yul, representing the Korean Unification Solidarity, which maintains contact with local Ukrainian human rights organizations, expressed concern over the prisoners’ fate. He noted that Ukraine views North Korean soldiers as enemy combatants, potentially leading to their exchange for Ukrainian prisoners or forced repatriation to North Korea.
In response, South Korean human rights organizations, including the North Korean Human Rights Citizens’ Alliance, sent urgent appeals to the Ukrainian Red Cross and human rights ombudsman on November 27 and 28 to prevent the forced repatriation of the North Korean soldiers.
They specifically requested that the ICRC in Ukraine conduct immediate confidential interviews with the prisoners, officially document their statements, and ensure these records are recognized as expressions of free will under ICRC humanitarian protocols.