A video released last week shows Ukrainian authorities interrogating two North Korean soldiers captured in the Kursk region of Russia. In the video, one of the soldiers expressed a desire to stay in Ukraine; a statement that could be deemed treasonous in North Korea and severely punished.

Ukraine cooperates with the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and other organizations to ensure POWs receive humane treatment in line with international humanitarian standards. Authorities should continue to uphold these protections and undertake not to forcibly repatriate POWs to countries like North Korea, when they face a real risk of serious rights violations. This aligns with the principle of nonrefoulement, which prohibits repatriating individuals to countries where they risk persecution or torture.

Ukraine and governments around the world should ensure these soldiers are informed of their rights, treated with dignity, and protected from forced repatriation if they face serious rights violations, in alignment with the principles of international humanitarian and human rights law.