Defector Support Group Kyereoul Unification Solidarity Releases Letter
"With the Support of the Korean People, New Dreams and Aspirations Have Emerged"
A handwritten letter from two North Korean soldiers, who were captured by the Ukrainian military after being deployed to the Russia-Ukraine war, expressing their intention to defect to South Korea, has been released.
Two North Korean prisoners of war captured by the Ukrainian military express their intention to defect to South Korea in a handwritten letter. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
On December 24, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing Jang Seyul, head of the defector organization Kyereoul Unification Solidarity, that the two North Korean prisoners of war recently delivered a handwritten letter to the organization through Kim Youngmi, a producer specializing in conflict zones. In the letter, the prisoners stated, "We consider the people in South Korea as our own parents and siblings, and we have decided to go to them."
They wrote, "We would like to once again thank everyone who is supporting us, seeing this situation not as a tragedy but as the beginning of a new life. When we arrive in South Korea, we will meet you in person to express our gratitude."
They added, "With the support of the Korean people, new dreams and aspirations have begun to take root. Until the day we meet in South Korea, please stay well." It was reported that the letter also included the signatures of both individuals.
According to Jang, the two wrote the letter on October 28, when producer Kim Youngmi met them at a prisoner-of-war camp near Kyiv, Ukraine. The original letter was delivered to the organization earlier this month.
The organization recently announced on its website that a letter handover ceremony had taken place, emphasizing, "Through this reply, the two young men have clearly confirmed their intention to defect to the Republic of Korea."
The two are North Korean soldiers who were captured by the Ukrainian military in January while fighting on the Russian front in Kursk. At that time, the Ukrainian authorities directly released the prisoners’ personal information and interrogation videos, making their existence known.
The South Korean government has stated that it will support and accept all North Korean prisoners of war who express their intention to defect, and has communicated this position to the Ukrainian government. However, it is known that there has been no significant progress in related discussions with the Ukrainian authorities so far.
Until now, the intention of the two prisoners to defect to South Korea had only been conveyed secondhand, but observers note that if this letter is recognized as 'physical evidence' directly expressing their will, it could serve as a catalyst for advancing discussions on their transfer to South Korea.
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