A South Korean lawmaker reported the aspirations of a captured North Korean soldier, who desires a normal life in South Korea. The soldier, detained by Ukraine, raised concerns about his future rights and family reunification. South Korean laws treat all Koreans as citizens, and returning these soldiers to North Korea could lead to death, given their directives to avoid capture.
On Tuesday, a member of the South Korean National Assembly reported that a North Korean soldier captured in Ukraine expressed a desire to lead a “normal life” in South Korea. This statement emerged after Seoul announced intentions to offer citizenship to captured North Korean personnel.
In January, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service confirmed that the Ukrainian military had detained two North Korean soldiers, part of a larger group estimated at 10,000 who have reportedly been dispatched by Kim Jong Un to assist Moscow in the ongoing conflict with Kyiv.
Lawmaker Yu Yong-weon recounted his meeting with the captured soldiers, who are being held in an undisclosed Ukrainian location. Yu mentioned that the emotional encounter evoked feelings of compassion and empathy as one soldier shared his dreams of reuniting with his family in South Korea.
Yu further noted that the soldier inquired about his chances of living freely in South Korea, expressing hopes for the rights and opportunities to own a home and establish a family.
According to South Korea’s constitution, all Koreans, inclusive of those from the North, are regarded as citizens. Officials have reiterated that this principle extends to any North Korean soldiers captured abroad. Yu emphasized that sending these soldiers back to North Korea would result in an effective death sentence, underscoring the dire circumstances they face.
Reports from South Korean intelligence suggest that North Korean soldiers are instructed to commit suicide rather than face capture. Yu stated that the soldiers informed him of witnessing multiple comrades take their own lives using grenades. He emphasized the necessity of treating these captured soldiers as citizens, thereby ensuring their protection under the law.
This situation recalls a past incident in 2019 when South Korea expelled two North Korean men after they were implicated in the murder of their crewmates; this marked the first such transfer since the Korean War. Notably, follow-up images later revealed a man forcibly resisting repatriation, drawing attention to the complexities surrounding such returns.
In summary, a South Korean lawmaker has highlighted the aspirations of a captured North Korean soldier seeking to lead a normal life in South Korea following the government’s promise of citizenship to North Korean troops. The lawmaker’s account reflects both the dire circumstances faced by these individuals and the legal protections they are entitled to as South Korean citizens. The situation underscores the complex humanitarian issues arising from the ongoing conflict and the treatment of military personnel from North Korea.
Original Source: www.voanews.com
