Rights Activists Urge North Korean Soldiers Fighting In Ukraine To Abandon Putin

Human rights activists have issued an open letter urging North Korean troops in Russia to cease supporting the Kremlin's "unjustifiable" war against Ukraine amid reports of North Korean casualties, Jung Min-ho reported for The Korea Times.

Seven South Korean-based organizations condemned the war as initiated by Russian invaders and argued that North Koreans have no reason to die for it. I Photo: Roman Harak Wikimedia Commons

Seven South Korean-based organizations—Justice for North Korea, the Korean War POW Family Association, Mulmangcho, No Chain, Stepping Stones, THINK, and the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG)—condemned the war as initiated by Russian invaders and argued that North Koreans have no reason to die for it.

“Why are you pointing your guns at innocent Ukrainians fighting to defend their homeland? Why are you risking your lives under Russian command for a cause even many Russians avoid?" the groups asked in the letter.

"It is not too late. Lay down your weapons and stand on the side of justice. Do not become forgotten spirits buried far from home for Russia's unjustifiable war of aggression."

The appeal followed the U.S. decision to lift its ban on Ukraine using long-range missiles to target Russian territory, with officials noting that these weapons could be used against Russian and North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region—a move intended to send a message to Pyongyang.