Elizabeth Salmon, the UN Special Rapporteur on North Korean human rights, emphasized the need to protect the identities of North Korean soldiers repatriated to South Korea, warning of potential retaliation against their families still in North Korea.
In a report released on October 13, Salmon stated, "Concerns have been raised about whether the principles of protection under international law are being adequately upheld, as the identities and photographs of these individuals have been widely disseminated in the media."
While highlighting the international legal standards for safeguarding the safety and privacy of the individuals involved, Salmon expressed concern about the possibility of retaliation against the families of the defectors remaining in North Korea.
Two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces early last year reportedly arrived in South Korea last month after approximately 1 year and 8 months.
On September 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly disclosed the capture of the North Korean soldiers and their transfer to South Korea during a keynote address at the UN General Assembly. This led to the rapid spread of the faces of the repatriated North Korean soldiers through media and social media.
In response, the South Korean presidential office demanded an official apology on September 28 after Ukraine claimed that it had made the announcement without prior consultation and that there was no private agreement regarding the soldiers' transfer. Subsequently, the South Korean government summoned its ambassador to Ukraine.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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