Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Friday that Ukraine has assured him that two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting alongside Russia will not be repatriated to Moscow. The captives were taken during combat on Russia's side in the front-line Kursk region in January last year. The soldiers have expressed their intention to come to South Korea rather than return to the North.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated on March 6 during a parliamentary session that he has received confirmation from his Ukrainian counterpart that two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting alongside Russia will not be repatriated to Moscow. The captives have been in Ukrainian custody since they were taken during combat on Russia's side in the front-line Kursk region in January last year.
Earlier this month, Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the main opposition People Power Party said after visiting Ukraine that Russia had included the two soldiers on its list of prisoners demanded for release in a prisoner-of-war exchange.
"I have received confirmation from my Ukrainian counterpart that the soldiers will not be repatriated (to Russia)," Cho said. "There is no need to worry about the possibility of them being sent back to North Korea or Russia."
When asked to confirm whether the soldiers were on the POW exchange list, Cho avoided a direct answer, noting that Ukraine would not share such details with Seoul. He stressed that disclosing any details about the soldiers could jeopardize their safety, adding that the foreign ministry is making every effort to ensure their safety and bring them to South Korea in accordance with the Constitution.
Through media interviews, the soldiers have expressed their intention to come to South Korea rather than being sent back to the North. Yu has called for sending a presidential envoy to Ukraine to discuss their defection, saying their repatriation to Pyongyang cannot be ruled out.
