Hong Jun-pyo: "North Korean Soldier Captured in Ukraine is a Defector... Should be Repatriated to Korea"

"North Korean Soldiers Are Defectors"

Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, is speaking at the year-end press conference on December 26, 2024. Provided by Daegu City

Daegu Mayor Hong Jun-pyo raised his voice, saying, "North Korean soldiers captured as prisoners of war in the Ukraine war should be repatriated to South Korea."

On the 23rd, Mayor Hong said on his Facebook, "(The North Korean soldiers captured as prisoners of war) are defectors, aren't they?"

Regarding the Ukraine ceasefire negotiations, he pointed out, "Excluding Ukraine is similar to the international reality of the survival of the fittest, like excluding South Korean troops from the 1953 armistice negotiations," and added, "If the North Korean nuclear issue proceeds with negotiations only between the U.S. and North Korea, excluding South Korea, we will experience the hell of becoming slaves to North Korean nuclear weapons." Then he said, "Let's watch the Ukraine war ceasefire negotiations first."

Earlier, North Korean soldier Ri Mo, captured by the Ukrainian army, expressed his intention to go to South Korea for the first time. In an interview with the Chosun Ilbo on the 19th, Ri said, "First, I plan to apply for refugee status and go to the Republic of Korea. If I apply for refugee status, will they accept me?" expressing his intention to defect. Ri is one of two North Korean prisoners of war captured by the Ukrainian army.

The government announced plans to support them based on the principle that North Korean prisoners of war are citizens of the Republic of Korea under the constitution and will be accepted if their intention to defect is confirmed, and said it has informed the Ukrainian government of this stance.

The Ukrainian government also stated that repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea is possible. On the 21st (local time), Andriy Chernyak, spokesperson (colonel) for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR), said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency, "Everything is possible," and added, "We maintain a solid relationship with South Korea's National Intelligence Service and special forces. Therefore, repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea may be possible."