A South Korean lawmaker reported that a North Korean soldier captured in Ukraine wishes to live a normal life in South Korea. Following South Korea’s promise of citizenship for captured North Korean troops, Yu Yong-weon recounted his meeting with the soldiers. He emphasized the legal implications of their capture, specifically highlighting their rights under South Korean law and the dire consequences of returning them to the North.
A South Korean lawmaker, Yu Yong-weon, disclosed on Tuesday that a North Korean soldier, currently in Ukrainian custody, expressed the desire to lead a “normal life” in South Korea. This statement follows South Korea’s commitment to extend citizenship to North Korean troops captured during the Ukraine conflict. In January, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service confirmed that two of an estimated 10,000 North Korean soldiers sent to support Russia had been captured by Ukraine.
Lawmaker Yu detailed his emotional encounter with the two detained North Korean soldiers after obtaining permission from Ukrainian authorities. He shared his feelings of compassion and empathy upon meeting them and recounted that one soldier articulated a longing to relocate to South Korea to reunite with his parents. The soldier queried whether he would have the opportunity to “live as I wish with the rights I hope for” in South Korea and whether he could establish a family there.
Yu emphasized that, according to South Korean law, all Koreans, including those from the North, are acknowledged as citizens, and this pertains to the captured soldiers. He articulated that returning these soldiers to North Korea would likely result in a death sentence, highlighting that North Korean directives instruct soldiers to commit suicide if capture occurs. Yu further noted that these soldiers have witnessed fellow comrades taking their lives to avoid capture.
He reiterated the stance that even as prisoners of war, North Korean soldiers hold constitutional rights as South Korean citizens and should be safeguarded accordingly. This statement comes in contrast to a past incident in 2019 when two North Korean men were expelled from South Korea after being accused of murder, marking the first such transfer since the Korean War; however, the circumstances surrounding their handover were contentious.
In conclusion, the situation surrounding the captured North Korean soldiers reflects significant humanitarian and legal implications. Lawmaker Yu Yong-weon’s revelations highlight their desire for a normal existence in South Korea, with a clear emphasis on their constitutional rights as citizens. The South Korean government’s stance of offering citizenship underlines the complex interplay of national identity, human rights, and the dark background of North Korean military directives against capture.
Original Source: www.voanews.com
