UN rights chief says int'l law protects N. Korean POWs in Ukraine from repatriation

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk speaks during a press conference at the Seoul Global Center in Jongno District, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the principle of non-refoulement applies to the two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) detained in Ukraine, citing obligations under international humanitarian and human rights laws.

Non-refoulement is a principle of international law that prohibits states from returning individuals to a country where they face a real risk of persecution, torture or serious harm. This marks the first time the U.N. rights chief has publicly invoked the principle in relation to the North Korean POWs held in Ukraine.

During a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday, Türk said the legal framework governing the treatment of the prisoners is clear.

“International humanitarian law and international human rights law applies, and it means proper treatment, including the obligation not to send them back to areas where they could be ending up with harm. The principle of non-refoulement applies to them, which is part of the international legal framework,” he said.

His office maintains a presence in Ukraine and is aware of the cases, he added.

Türk also warned that global attention on North Korea's human rights situation must not wane. “The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is counting on the world's attention having moved on and the silence becoming permanent,” he said, urging the international community to maintain pressure on North Korea over what he described as an ongoing human rights crisis.

Türk also welcomed the expected arrival of a North Korean women's football team in the South as an encouraging confidence-building step, but called for urgent progress on exchanging letters, resuming family reunions and providing information about disappeared and abducted persons.

Naegohyang Women's FC is set to travel to Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, for the AFC Women's Champions League Final 2026 semifinals on May 20, in a rare instance of cross-border sports cooperation. It will be the first time in eight years that North Korean athletes will participate in a sports event taking place in the South.

Addressing artificial intelligence, Türk said South Korea's ambition to become a global AI hub makes it especially important to embed human rights principles into the technology's development and governance.

Türk also called on South Korea to prioritize long-delayed anti-discrimination legislation.

“The adoption of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, which has been under discussion for more than 20 years, needs to be prioritized to ensure equality and protection for women, minorities, refugees and migrants, people with disabilities and the LGBTIQ+ communities,” he said, adding that the gender pay gap and a rise in femicide, which he called a global phenomenon, remain pressing concerns.

Türk is scheduled to visit the May 18 National Cemetery in Gwangju on Thursday before attending the 2026 World Human Rights Cities Forum at the Kim Daejung Convention Center.