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Liberal lawmaker urges gov't to 'quietly' handle defection of North Korean POW

Published: 25 Feb. 2025, 18:22

LEE SOO-JUNG
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Democratic Party Rep. Jin Sung-joon speaks during a floor meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Feb. 25. [YONHAP]

Rep. Jin Sung-joon of the liberal Democratic Party (DP) on Tuesday urged the conservative People Power Party (PPP) to refrain from politicizing the defection of a North Korean prisoner of war held by Ukraine.

In a floor meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul, Jin said the soldier’s defection to South Korea should be handled "quietly."

He also said he expects the South Korean government to manage the North Korean’s repatriation to Seoul per the North Korean Refugees Protection and Settlement Support Act.

Jin's remarks came five days after the rival PPP said the South Korean government should put effort into bringing defecting North Korean prisoners of war safely to Seoul.

Jin also said his party does "not oppose" the North Korean soldier’s return to Seoul if it's truly what he wants.

However, Jin warned that the soldier’s return could be thwarted if "making a fuss about it" provokes North Korea or Russia.

He also noted that Ukraine must exchange captured Russians and North Koreans for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia, adding that negotiating the soldier’s return discreetly would be desirable from Kyiv's perspective.

North Korea has deployed thousands of combat soldiers to Russia since last year to assist Moscow in its war against Kyiv. Ukraine announced last month that it had captured two soldiers alive.