Kyiv: Civic groups advocating human rights in North Korea have sent an open letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urging him not to repatriate North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine while they were fighting for Russia.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the letter was signed by several pro-North Korean human rights groups, including the Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR) and Mulmangcho. This appeal follows the release of several video clips by Zelenskyy in recent weeks, which showed two captured North Korean soldiers under interrogation.

Earlier this month, Zelenskyy revealed that Ukraine had captured two wounded North Korean soldiers in Russia's western Kursk region. He released video clips in which one of the soldiers expressed a desire to stay in Ukraine. Zelenskyy has mentioned Ukraine's willingness to exchange captured North Korean soldiers for Ukrainian captives held in Russia.

The civic groups, in their letter, urged Zelenskyy to refrain from disclosing information regarding the soldiers' identities or sending them back to Russia or North Korea against their will. They referenced the International Committee of the Red Cross's interpretation of the Geneva Conventions, suggesting that if repatriation violates international law on the protection of people, the holding party has the right to offer asylum.

The groups expressed concern that North Korean troops who surrender, along with their families, could face severe punishments as "traitors." They also requested Zelenskyy to gather and document evidence of atrocities committed by Russia and North Korea against North Korean soldiers to potentially pursue cases of war crimes or human rights violations.