Captured North Korean soldiers beg Ukraine not to send them home

Two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia have pleaded with Ukrainian authorities not to include them in any prisoner swap — fearing that a return to their homeland could mean imprisonment or worse.

The soldiers were taken prisoner during fighting against Ukraine and reportedly told officials they would rather seek asylum abroad than be repatriated to North Korea.

Fear of Returning to Kim’s Rule

The men reportedly believe that returning to the regime of Kim Jong Un could lead to severe punishment.

Human rights investigators have long warned that North Koreans captured abroad can face detention, interrogation or forced labour upon repatriation. In extreme cases, defectors and prisoners have reported torture and long-term imprisonment.

For the captured soldiers, a prisoner exchange could effectively become a forced return to the system they fear most.

Trained to Die Rather Than Surrender

Military experts say North Korean troops are often indoctrinated to avoid capture at all costs. Some units are reportedly instructed to kill themselves rather than surrender to enemy forces.

That doctrine makes the current appeals from captured soldiers highly unusual — and a sign of how desperate some recruits may be once outside the regime’s control.

Investigations by international media have previously documented cases of repatriated North Koreans facing harsh interrogation and punishment after returning home.

A Possible Escape Route Through Seoul

Instead of being exchanged, the soldiers may be offered asylum in South Korea.

Officials in Kyiv and Seoul have reportedly discussed allowing the prisoners to defect rather than be returned through a Russia–Ukraine swap.

Such a move would be politically sensitive, potentially escalating tensions with Pyongyang.

Thousands Deployed to Russia’s War

South Korean intelligence estimates that roughly 15,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to support Russia’s war effort.

In return, Pyongyang is believed to be receiving food, economic aid and military technology.

Western officials say the human cost has already been steep. More than 1,000 North Korean soldiers are thought to have been killed within months, with thousands more wounded.

Some captured fighters have reportedly told interrogators they believed they were being sent abroad for work — not into a war zone.

North Korean soldiers beg not to be sent home — told to kill themselves rather than surrender