In January during the fighting in Kursk Oblast Ukrainian forces captured two North Korean soldiers, who were among the about 12,000 military sent by Kim Jong Un to aid the Russian army. The injured men were treated by physicians and transported to Ukraine.
21-year-old Paek and 26-year-old Ri, as agreed by the Geneva Conventions, have the right to repatriation to North Korea. In early February, however, Ukrainian Ambassador to Seoul Dmytro Ponomarenko informed, in an interview with The Korea Times, that Kiev was open to handing over men to 3rd countries. It's known that One of the prisoners wants to take advantage of this proposal.
War in Ukraine. North Korean prisoner wants to settle in South Korea
South Korean Congressman Yu Yong-weon, who went to Ukraine in late February, where he spoke to the prisoners, reported that 1 of them – Ri He wants to settle in South Korea. The politician presented recordings of a man's declaration to the National Assembly in Seoul.
‘Really I want to go there. and to meet my parents," said a North Korean soldier, quoted by Yonhap.
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A man who suffered severe jaw wounds and an arm asked if Seoul would be able to undergo surgery. He besides wondered if He can have his own home and start a family., as well as “to live as he wants”.
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In an interview published last week by the “Wall Street Journal”, Ri revealed that he served in the North Korean army as a sniper. erstwhile he was recruited to fight in the Kursk Oblast, he was very motivated – He was persuaded to fight against South Korean soldiers.
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On board a ship sailing to Vladivostok, hoped for a “real experience on the battlefield”. Upon arriving in Russia, he was sent to storm and shot by Ukrainians. He was found among the bodies of his comrades in arms, and the condition of the man was to be critical.
The second of the North Korean prisoners – Paek – admitted that I just request any more time. to consider possible desertion. However, in an interview with the “WSJ”, they both argued that their possible return to North Korea as erstwhile prisoners could end tragically for them.
