Two North Korean soldiers, captured while fighting for Russia in Ukraine, have formally requested asylum in South Korea, highlighting the severe dangers they face if repatriated.
The plea for resettlement was made to a human rights organization during an interview for a documentary about North Korean prisoners of war.
Jang Se-yul, who heads Gyeore-eol Nation United, an organization supporting North Korean defectors, confirmed the request to AFP. He stated the two soldiers “pleaded with the interviewers to promise them they would come back and take them to South Korea.”
The interview took place on October 28 at an undisclosed location in Kyiv.
Under its constitution, South Korea considers all Koreans, including those from the North, to be its citizens. The South Korean government has previously stated this policy applies to North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine.
South Korean and Western intelligence agencies estimate that approximately 15,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to fight for Russia against Ukraine in 2024.
A South Korean lawmaker who visited these prisoners in February warned that returning them to North Korea would constitute “basically a death sentence.”
South Korean intelligence reports indicate that North Korean soldiers are under orders to commit suicide rather than be captured. The captured soldiers reportedly witnessed comrades using grenades to take their own lives after being wounded.
North Korea only publicly acknowledged sending troops to support Russia in April, also admitting to casualties. Leader Kim Jong Un has since met with families of fallen soldiers.
South Korean intelligence further estimates that roughly 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed in combat.