I demand an explanation why SK officials want to keep such information secret. Zelensky did the right thing and I’m happy to know there were 2 SK citizens fighting against Ukraine. SK should show some fucking accountability instead of this childish behaviour.
Because NK kills the entire family of the ones it sees as defectors to SK, and Zelenky just gave them names. SK sees that as killing by proxy that could’ve been avoided.
I’ve heard that, too. Maybe the soldiers should have kept their mouths shut. Why didn’t they?
While still in Ukraine, the two soldiers said in media interviews that they wanted to resettle in South Korea.
The idea that defectors’ families are slaughtered by the DPRK is a myth, about 25% of defectors seriously consider returning home, many to return to their families. The actual reason why this is a scandal is that it hurts ROK President Lee Jae-Myeung’s recent desire to ease hostilities on the peninsula and re-open cooperation.
But isn’t this article about two North Korean POWs who wanted to resettle in South Korea and were granted that wish?
They’re North Korean, not South Korean
I think there’s a misunderstanding here. SK considers all North Koreans as their citizens, which is why they will gladly take anyone who has fled across the border. There could be a number of legitimate reasons why they want to keep this transfer secret.
they will gladly take anyone who has fled across the border
“Gladly” lol
North Korean detectors are taken reluctantly and treated rather poorly. Most live in abject poverty. Certainly better than a life in the North, but hardly the loving welcome of a long lost citizen
Loyal Citizens of Pyongyang in Seoul is an excellent documentary on the treatment of most defectors from the DPRK in the ROK.
Because you do not know everything and clearly they knew something you do not.
Zelensky is letting the world know that NK who don’t actually want to fight can get effectively a free ride to SK. To the extent that NK soldiers may learn this it could help encourage surrenders saving Ukrainian and North Korean lives.
SK is looking at avoiding friction with NK and has every right to want those transfers to be private or even to deny those transfers BUT outright canceling them might not help NK/SK relations much by doing that AND condemns the POWs to potential detention and death. If SK actually starts blocking the transfers the announcement is a net negative to everyone. If not its a small negative to SK/NK government and a positiove for everyone else.
Everyone knows that democracy requires human trafficking NDA’s and secrecy. Oh wait. It’s kleptocracy, fascism, and capitalism that benefits from that. Silly me.
Seong said the agreement was reached because Seoul was concerned about the safety of the North Korean soldiers and their relatives in the North while Kyiv worried about possible domestic criticism for forfeiting an opportunity to exchange them for Ukrainian soldiers held in Russia.
North Korea is known to retaliate against the families of those who flee. Zelenskyy may have accidentally helped cause the death of a handful of innocents.
The idea that defectors’ families are slaughtered by the DPRK is a myth, about 25% of defectors seriously consider returning home, many to return to their families. The actual reason why this is a scandal is that it hurts ROK President Lee Jae-Myeung’s recent desire to ease hostilities on the peninsula and re-open cooperation.
