장동우
| 2026-05-13 19:38:28
UN rights chief-NK POWs
U.N. human rights chief says non-refoulement principle applies to N.K. POWs in Ukraine
SEOUL, May 13 (Yonhap) -- United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said Wednesday the principle of non-refoulement applies to two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) captured by Ukrainian forces amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
Speaking at a press conference in Seoul during an official visit to South Korea, the U.N. human rights chief said "international humanitarian law applies" to the North Korean prisoners held in Ukraine.
"The principle of non-refoulement applies to them," Turk said, referring to the obligation not to return individuals to places where they could face harm.
Turk added that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has a presence in Ukraine and is aware of the cases involving the North Korean POWs.
The two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces after being deployed to Russia's Kursk region in support of Moscow's war effort. They have previously expressed a desire to defect to South Korea through handwritten letters delivered to South Korean organizations assisting North Korean defectors.
Regarding North Korea's broader human rights situation, Turk warned that "serious human rights violations are ongoing, and it is crucial that they are not allowed to go unnoticed."
He stressed that "there needs to be accountability in all its forms, including non-traditional forms," for the grave violations that "have plagued the DPRK for decades," and reiterated support for criminal accountability efforts, including possible referral of North Korea to the International Criminal Court.
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.
Turk also welcomed the scheduled visit to South Korea by North Korean women's football team Naegohyang Women's FC.
Pyongyang-based Naegohyang Women's FC is set to travel to Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul, on May 20 to face Suwon FC Women in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation Women's Champions League. It will mark the first visit by a North Korean sports team to South Korea in more than seven years.
Turk stressed the need to strengthen humanitarian, people-to-people exchange across the inter-Korean border amid frozen exchanges between the divided countries.
"Urgent steps are needed to find ways to exchange letters, resume family contacts and reunions, and release information clarifying the whereabouts and fate of disappeared and abducted people."
Commenting on South Korea's domestic situation, Turk praised the public response to the political turmoil surrounding the December 2024 martial law crisis during the previous administration.
At the same time, he urged South Korea to prioritize adoption of a comprehensive anti-discrimination law that has been under discussion for more than 20 years.
Turk said such legislation is needed to ensure equality and protection for women, minorities, refugees and migrants, people with disabilities and the LGBTQ community.
"It's clear that these longstanding issues need to be addressed robustly."
Turk arrived in South Korea on Tuesday for an official visit, the first by a U.N. high commissioner for human rights since Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein visited the country in 2015.
Earlier in the day, Turk met with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and other top officials, describing South Korea as an important strategic partner and expressing hope to continue to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
He is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech Thursday at the 2026 World Human Rights Cities Forum in the southwestern city of Gwangju.
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