Main image: Lee Jae-woong, the foreign ministry spokesperson, speaks during a press briefing in Seoul on Jan. 14, 2025. (Yonhap)
The South Korean government plans to hold consultations with Ukraine regarding the transfer of North Korean soldiers who were captured by Ukrainian forces.
According to Yonhap, this was announced on Tuesday by the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A spokesperson for the Ministry, Lee Jae-woong, commented on the information about the capture of two North Koreans and a video later shared by Volodymyr Zelensky, in which one of the North Korean soldiers expressed his desire to remain in Ukraine.
"Since North Korean soldiers are our citizens according to the Constitution, the government plans to negotiate with Ukraine if they request to transfer to South Korea," said the spokesperson.
The Constitution of South Korea defines the entire Korean Peninsula as its territory, effectively recognizing all residents of the peninsula as its citizens. However, the ministry's spokesperson stated that neither of the two captured soldiers expressed an intention to defect to South Korea, adding that the relevant authorities are currently maintaining communication with Ukraine on matters related to this case.
On Sunday, South Korea's intelligence agency confirmed the capture of two North Korean soldiers by Ukraine last week and promised to closely cooperate with Ukraine to continue exchanging relevant information.
