1 of 2 N. Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine voices intent to go to S. Korea: report

 

One of the two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine has expressed his wish to go to South Korea, a news report said Wednesday, in what would be the first known case for a North Korean captive to voice an intent to defect to the South.

A North Korean solider, identified only by his surname Ri, said in an interview with the Chosun Ilbo that he never knew he would engage in combat against Ukraine as he was told that he would be sent to Russia for training as an overseas student.

"I have made up my mind 80 percent ... Above all, I will seek refuge and am thinking about going to the Republic of Korea. If I apply for asylum, would they take me?" Ri said, when asked about his plan for the future.

Ri is one of the two wounded North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces last month during combat against Ukraine in Russia's Kursk region.

It marked the first time that a North Korean solider captured by Ukraine has expressed an intent to defect to South Korea since North Korea sent around 11,000 troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Ri, born in 1999 and served as a scout sniper in North Korea, said he belongs to the Reconnaissance General Bureau, the North's intelligence agency.

"(Officials from the North's state security ministry) said pilots of the Ukrainian military's drones are all ROK soldiers," Ri said, adding that he engaged in combat with Ukraine while believing he was fighting against South Korean troops.

Ri, who sustained serious wounds to his jaw and arm, said almost all his comrades from a military unit were killed due to Ukraine's drones and artillery attacks. He also said he could have tried to blow himself up if he had a grenade because being held prisoner in North Korea amounts to a betrayal.

As a North Korean solider captured by Ukraine has expressed his wish to defect, what draws attention will be whether the South Korean government would kick off consultations with Ukraine over the issue.

South Korea's Constitution stipulates that the entire Korean Peninsula is defined as its territory, effectively recognizing all residents on the peninsula as its nationals.

"As North Korean soldiers are our nationals according to the Constitution, (the government) plans to hold discussions with Ukraine if they request defection to South Korea," foreign ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong told a press briefing last month.

The National Intelligence Service, Seoul's spy agency, also cast a similar stance during a parliamentary session in January that what intent North Korean prisoners have is very important.

But it remains unknown whether the process to bring such North Korean captives to South Korea would be smooth, as the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War stipulates that POWs shall be released and repatriated without delay after the cessation of active hostilities.

Some experts, however, argue that the North's case may be an exception to such a repatriation duty under reference documents of the International Committee of the Red Cross, given that Ri could face serious human rights violations if he is sent back to North Korea.

Source : https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10423613

Comprehension

Who is the North Korean soldier mentioned in the article?
What did he believe he was being sent to Russia for?
What percentage of certainty did he express about defecting to South Korea?
How did he describe his experience in combat?
Why did he initially believe he was fighting against South Korean troops?
What injuries did he sustain?
How does the South Korean Constitution define its nationals?
What position has the South Korean government taken regarding the soldier’s request for defection?
What does the Geneva Convention say about the treatment of prisoners of war (POWs)?
What argument do some experts make about why the North Korean soldier should not be repatriated?

Discussion

Do you think South Korea should accept the soldier’s defection request? Why or why not?
What challenges might this soldier face if he successfully defects to South Korea?
How do you think North Korea will respond if one of its soldiers defects?
What ethical dilemmas arise when deciding whether to repatriate prisoners of war?
How does misinformation in wartime impact soldiers' decisions and morale?
What do you think motivated this soldier to want to defect?
Should international laws, like the Geneva Convention, be adjusted to account for extreme cases like this?
What role do intelligence agencies, like South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, play in handling defectors?
How might this incident affect relations between South Korea, Ukraine, and Russia?
What do you think life is like for North Korean soldiers compared to soldiers in other countries?

Vocabulary

Defection – The act of abandoning one’s country or cause in favor of another.
Prisoner of War (POW) – A soldier captured by the enemy during a conflict.
Repatriation – The process of sending someone back to their country of origin.
Reconnaissance – Military observation to gather information about an enemy.
Geneva Convention – A set of international treaties that define the humanitarian treatment of war prisoners.
Refuge – Protection or shelter from danger or trouble.
Spy agency – An organization that gathers intelligence for national security.
Hostilities – Acts of war or conflict between nations.
Human rights violations – Actions that infringe upon basic freedoms and protections.
Intelligence – Information gathered for military or political purposes