Unlike Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom hides some Koroks in plain sight and challenges you to reunite them with their friends, often encouraging the player to do so using some Ultrahand ingenuity. Naturally, many players immediately began torturing them instead. With Hyrule technically at war once again, this made me wonder if the treatment of these Koroks represented a violation of the Geneva Conventions, and folks, I believe it does.
There's an argument to be made that these stranded Koroks would qualify as "infirm" non-combatants under the Geneva Conventions, and I'm here to make said argument. They are, after all, immobilized in part due to their advanced age and tiny, weak, cabbage-like bodies. In this case, these Koroks would likely fall under Article 16 on the protection of civilians in the go-to 1949 Geneva Conventions, listed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (opens in new tab): "The wounded and sick, as well as the infirm, and expectant mothers, shall be the object of particular protection and respect."
Don't worry Korok, you'll join your friend real soon. #TearsOfTheKingdom #Zelda #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/z1WLfxmjU5May 13, 2023
Article 17 also specifies that: "The Parties to the conflict shall endeavor to conclude local agreements for the removal from besieged or encircled areas, of wounded, sick, infirm, and aged persons." Link is at least trying – or should be trying – to reunite these lost Koroks so they can get out of wartime Hyrule, so I'll give this one a pass provided you actually remove the Koroks with care, and not, let's say, by firing them out of a catapult.
The mention of medical equipment and materials also raises questions around the use and
Read more on gamesradar.com