A well-known South Korean YouTuber and special operations veteran said Monday he arrived in Ukraine to serve as a volunteer soldier in its struggle against the Russian invasion.
Ken Rhee, 37, announced he and a team of travel mates tried to leave Korea “through official procedures” in spite of the Asian nation’s ban against departing the country.
“But we felt strong opposition from the Korean government, and there was some friction,” he said.
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Rhee was “threatened” with “being treated as a criminal,” he continued.
“But punishment cannot stand still in this situation without helping Ukraine with the skills, knowledge, and expertise we have,” he posted along with a picture of himself and people who are believed to be his teammates. “If I return alive, then I will take responsibility for everything and receive the punishment I’m given.”
The names of the people traveling with Rhee have not been confirmed, according to a report.
Korea’s Foreign Ministry acknowledged that “Koreans including Ken Rhee” have left the country to serve in Ukraine, according to a Monday statement.
“To protect the lives and safety of citizens, as of Feb. 13, the government has issued a Level 4 travel warning throughout Ukraine and has banned Korean citizens from traveling to Ukraine,” the statement read.
Anyone who leaves South Korea to fight in Ukraine without authorization from the government will face a year in prison or a fine equaling $8,150, Korea’s Foreign Ministry said.
They would also be mandated to hand in their Korean passports, according to the statement.
“My team has arrived safely in Ukraine. Rather than waste time seeking to invalidate our passports, think about how you can support,” Rhee posted to social media.
“During the Korean War, the world helped Korea,” he posted. “Now, we will help Ukraine. We cannot just stand by and watch innocent people get hurt and die.”
At the time of publishing, Rhee’s YouTube channel had 777,000 subscribers.
The former special warfare operator has faced controversy in recent years after he was convicted of sexual assault in 2019, according to the report.
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Rhee maintains it was a wrongful conviction, the report noted.
