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IFANS PERSPECTIVES DPRK’s Acknowledgement of Involvement in the Ukraine War and International Law 남승현 글로벌거버넌스연구부 부교수 발행일 2025-05-13 조회수 17089
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1. Introduction 
2. Legal Status of the DPRK and DPRK Soldiers in the Ukraine War 
3. Treatment and Repatriation of DPRK Soldiers 
4. Accountability through the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine 
5. Conclusion 

1. Introduction 

On April 28, 2025, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) officially confirmed, for the first time, its deployment of troops to Russia - an announcement made two days after Russia acknowledged North Korea’s involvement. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the deployment was in accordance with “the provisions and spirit” of the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership which was signed between Russia and the DPRK on June 19, 2024. Article 4 of the Treaty, cited in the announcement, mandates military and other forms of assistance in the event either party comes under an armed attack. 
This acknowledgement comes after months of speculations and reports that DPRK soldiers were taking part in the Ukraine war. Reports first began to surface in October 2024 by various national intelligence agencies that the DPRK had dispatched around 10,000 soldiers to the Kursk region in Russia. Confirmation of the DPRK’s involvement came from Ukrainian authorities after the capture of two DPRK soldiers on January 12, 2025. But even then, Russia and the DPRK did not deny, nor officially acknowledge the dispatch of DPRK troops, and rather argued that it could be justified under the treaty between Russia and the DPRK. 
And now that Russia and the DPRK have officially acknowledged the DPRK’s active involvement in the Ukraine war – after the deployment of 15,000 soldiers, with 4700 casualties and 600 confirmed deaths, it is worth examining the legal implications. Key areas of concern include the legal status of the DPRK and DPRK soldiers under international law, the repatriation process of the DPRK soldiers captured by Ukrainian authorities, and the accountability of DPRK leadership. For the Republic of Korea (ROK), the legal status of DPRK soldiers is a critical issue since the ROK has stated its willingness to accept the captured DPRK soldiers and considers DPRK nationals to be ROK citizens under its Constitution. In addition, the DPRK’s acknowledgement will have important implications in holding DPRK leaders accountable, especially after the announcement by the European Commission and international coalition of states to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. 

*Attached File #Ukraine #WarCrimes #POWs #DPRKSoldiers #UseOfForce
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IFANS PERSPECTIVES 2025-05E(남승현).pdf
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