Two North Korean soldiers who fought alongside Russian forces in Ukraine have defected to South Korea after being held as prisoners of war for over a year. Their arrival in Seoul marks the first known case of North Korean military personnel captured in the Ukraine conflict and has highlighted the complex geopolitical and legal issues surrounding the war.
Private Ri and Private Baek, members of the Korean People’s Army Special Operations Force, were captured by Ukrainian troops in January 2023 during combat in the Kursk region of Russia. They are believed to be the only surviving North Korean soldiers taken prisoner in the conflict so far. South Korean officials estimate that approximately 16,000 North Korean troops have fought alongside Russian forces since October 2024, with some 6,000 killed or wounded.
Ri, 26, and Baek, 21, were part of an elite sniper unit deployed to the front lines, where they endured extreme weather conditions and strict discipline. In interviews given to South Korean media while still in Ukraine, Ri described witnessing the deaths and suicides of many of his comrades to avoid capture. He recounted the psychological toll of combat and the harsh training received in Vladivostok, emphasizing the ideological motivation instilled alongside physical endurance.
The fate of the two soldiers became the subject of protracted diplomatic negotiations between Ukraine and South Korea. Their defection put both governments in a difficult position, as it underscored North Korea’s covert involvement in the war and raised questions about the treatment of defectors and prisoners under international law. Ukraine has sought to highlight North Korea’s participation to frame the conflict as a broader struggle between democratic and authoritarian regimes, arguing for increased support from Western allies.
South Korea faces its own challenges given its policy that all North Koreans are considered citizens with the right to resettle in the South. While the current South Korean president, Lee Jae-myung, favors engagement with Pyongyang, the revelation of the prisoners’ return prompted tension. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly announced the handover at the United Nations General Assembly, a move that South Korea criticized as premature and potentially damaging to delicate diplomatic considerations.
Ri and Baek now face the difficult task of adjusting to life in South Korea after enduring combat trauma and captivity. Ri spoke of the emotional burden of losing nearly all his unit members and reflected on the plight of families left behind in North Korea, who may face reprisals for their relatives’ defection. The case of these two soldiers offers rare insight into the human dimensions of North Korea’s clandestine military engagement in the Ukraine war and exemplifies the broader geopolitical complexities involved.