Ukraine Open To Negotiations With South Korea Regarding The Transfer Of Arrested North Korean Troops

North Korean soldiers arrested by Ukrainian troops in Kurshchyna. (Twitter/@ZelenskyyUa)

JAKARTA - The Ukrainian government is open to discussions with South Korea regarding the potential for the transfer of two North Korean soldiers arrested to South Korea, according to the Ukrainian Ambassador to South Korea Dmytro Ponomarenko.

Kyiv has not yet started formal negotiations with Seoul. Ambassador Ponomarenko said Ukraine was willing to cooperate in moving the army, if they refused to return to their home country.

"Given the threat to the lives and freedom of North Korean soldiers if they are repatriated to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and if they refuse to return, we are open to dialogue with international partners, particularly the Republic of Korea, regarding the possibility of transferring them to third countries," Ambassador Ponomarenko said in an interview with The Korea Times, citing the two Koreas on their official names, as quoted on February 5.

"In that case, I hope we will consult with South Korea about how to move them," he said.

Earlier, Ukrainian forces arrested two North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia in the Kursk region in mid-January.

The two soldiers, who carried Russian documents but did not speak the language, were transferred and transported to Kyiv for questioning.

Rekaman interogasi mereka yang diungkap oleh Presiden Ukraina Volodymyr Zelensky pada 12 Januari menunjukkan, keduanya mengklaim mereka dimulainya dikirim ke zona perangan aktif. Sebaliknya, mereka percaya bahwa mereka sedang berpartisip dalam latihan militer.

During the interrogation, one of the soldiers testified that he had served in reconnaissance units since joining the military at the age of 17.

Shortly after the soldiers were arrested, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said they would discuss with Ukrainian authorities about the possibility of bringing them to South Korea if the soldiers expressed a desire to do so.

However, if the soldiers wanted to return to North Korea, Ukraine would be required by the Geneva Convention to repatriate them, the ambassador said.

Earlier, President Zelensky publicly offered to exchange North Korean soldiers arrested with Ukrainian prisoners of war detained by Russia.

However, considering that both Pyongyang and Moscow have not officially acknowledged the deployment of North Korean troops, facilitating such exchanges could be difficult.

"The issue of prisoner exchange is very sensitive. To prevent a negative impact on the process, it is better not to comment early on this issue at this time," said Ambassador Ponomarenko when asked if talks with Pyongyang had materialized.

Ambassador Ponomarenko said North Korean military personnel fighting in Russia had suffered heavy losses, with some 4,000 people killed or injured so far.

"Despite the number and quality of North Korean troops, they are an additional problem for our defenders, who are adding to their work and diverting their attention from destroying Russian aggressors," Ponomarenko said, without neglecting the possibility of deploying additional troops.

It is known that Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which is now entering its third year, is experiencing new developments as US President Donald Trump encourages negotiations to end the conflict.

However, the path to a peace deal brokered by the US seems difficult, as Moscow is determined to seize as much territory as possible.

"Ukraine wants to end this war more than any other country," said Ambassador Ponomarenko.

However, he stressed two prerequisites for any peace negotiations. First, Ukraine must be involved in discussions about its own future.

Second, talks must be based on the UN Charter, which ensures respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized border.

"True peace must be realized, not efforts to defuse the aggressor situation. Ukraine is open to diplomacy, but only for diplomacy that leads to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace," he explained.

"Now is not the time for our partners to falter or get tired. Weaknesses, compromise on fundamental issues, or efforts to defuse the situation will not only harm Ukraine, but also the entire Europe and the world," he concluded.