UN human rights chief breaks silence on North Korean POWs held in Ukraine

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the principle of non-refoulement applies to two North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces during the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

Speaking at a press briefing in Seoul during an official visit to South Korea, the UN human rights chief stated that "international humanitarian law applies" to the North Korean detainees held in Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports per South Korean media.

"The principle of non-refoulement applies to them," Türk said, stressing the obligation not to transfer individuals to countries where they may face serious harm.

He also noted that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights maintains a presence in Ukraine and is monitoring cases involving the captured North Korean soldiers.

The two servicemen were taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces after being deployed to Russia’s Kursk region in support of Moscow’s military operations. They have previously signalled a willingness to defect to South Korea, expressing this through handwritten letters sent via organisations assisting North Korean defectors.

Addressing the wider human rights situation in North Korea, Türk warned that "serious human rights violations are ongoing, and it is crucial that they are not allowed to go unnoticed."

He also voiced support for expanding humanitarian engagement between North and South Korea, including letter exchanges and family reunions.

Türk arrived in South Korea on May 12 for an official visit, marking the first trip by a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights since Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein’s visit in 2015.

By Jeyhun Aghazada