N Korean POWs seek ‘new life’ in SouthDEFECTING VIA UKRAINE: Two North Korean soldiers wrote that with the support of the South Korean people, ‘new dreams and aspirations have begun to take root’AFP, SEOULTwo North Korean prisoners of war (POW) held by Ukraine have said they hope to start a “new life” in South Korea, a letter seen by reporters yesterday said. North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia’s nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies. At least 600 have died and thousands more have sustained injuries, according to South Korean estimates. North Korean soldiers are instructed to kill themselves rather than be taken prisoner, according to South Korea’s intelligence service. The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Ukraine not to “forcibly repatriate North Korean prisoners of war against their will” and has asked that their desire to go to the South be respected.

Source: Taipei Times December 24, 2025 16:55 UTC