Wherever the captured North Koreans are sent, Ukraine plans to consult with Seoul on the terms of their transfer.
The Ukrainian government is ready for talks with South Korea regarding the possible transfer to it of two North Korean soldiers who are in Ukrainian custody captivity.
This was stated by the Ukrainian Ambassador to South Korea Dmitry Ponomarenko in an interview with The Korean Times.
The diplomat emphasized that Kiev and Seoul are not yet holding official negotiations on this issue, but Ukraine is ready to cooperate if the DPRK soldiers refuse to return to their homeland.
“Considering the threat to the life and freedom of North Korean servicemen in the event of their repatriation to the DPRK, as well as in the event of their refusal to return, we are open to dialogue with international partners, in particular with the Republic of Korea, regarding the possibility of their transfer to third countries. In any case, I expect that we will consult with South Korea regarding the terms of their transfer,” Ponomarenko said.
However, if the soldiers want to return to North Korea, Ukraine will be obliged to repatriate them to their homeland in accordance with the Geneva Conventions, the ambassador noted.
Earlier, Zelensky publicly proposed exchanging captured North Korean soldiers for Ukrainian fighters captured by Russia. But given that neither Pyongyang nor Moscow has officially recognized the participation of DPRK troops in the war against Ukraine, organizing such an exchange could be a difficult task.
“The issue of exchanging prisoners is very delicate… In order to avoid a negative impact on the process, it would be advisable to refrain from premature comments on this matter for now,” – Ponomarenko said.
The diplomat did not answer whether negotiations between Kiev and Pyongyang on the issue of exchanging prisoners took place.
Recall that South Korea plans to hold consultations with Ukraine regarding the transfer of captured North Korean soldiers if they themselves ask for it. The Constitution of South Korea defines the entire Korean Peninsula as its territory, and the residents of the DPRK as its citizens.
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