South Korea has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine after Kyiv violated a confidentiality agreement over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea. The spat started when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly disclosed the transfer during his address to the United Nations General Assembly last week.
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine had recently sent two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces to South Korea. He also described the circumstances of their capture, saying they were difficult to take alive. Seoul said it had discussed the matter with Kyiv on the condition that details of the transfer would remain confidential.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret over the disclosure in a post on social media and said that keeping the transfer private was because the transfer could be dangerous.
South Korea Wants Official Apology From Ukraine.
The dispute intensified on Sunday when South Korea’s presidential office formally demanded an explanation and apology from Kyiv. Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, said Seoul strongly regretted Ukraine’s unilateral disclosure and its subsequent denial of a non-disclosure agreement.
The South Korean presidential office said the issue could undermine trust between the two governments and affect their friendly relations. Seoul said it was mulling additional measures if necessary, but did not say what those measures might be.
According to Yonhap, Ukrainian media had quoted a source from the Ukrainian presidential office as denying the existence of a confidentiality agreement. Seoul denied that account and said that an agreement had been reached concerning the transfer.
Ukraine claims that the transfer was done in direct dialogue with South Korea. Ukrainian presidential aide Dmytro Lytvyn attempted to play down the significance of the disclosure, saying that Kyiv had made public that the soldiers had been handed over to South Korea.
When were the North Korean soldiers captured?
The two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces when fighting alongside Russian troops. In January 2025 they were captured in Russia's Kursk region, when Ukraine entered the area.
North Korea had sent troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, and so the two captured soldiers are an important part of the wider international aspect of the conflict. Zelenskyy has repeatedly criticized Pyongyang’s involvement in the war and the deployment of North Korean troops to support Russian forces.
The two soldiers are now in South Korea, with questions about their legal status, security and possible resettlement. Seoul will also have to make decisions on how the men will be investigated and protected after their transfer, a Reuters report said.
Why The POW Transfer Matters To South Korea.
The transfer is particularly important in Seoul because South Korea’s constitutional framework recognizes people from North Korea as citizens of the Republic of Korea. So the presence of the two soldiers in South Korea raises humanitarian and security concerns.
South Korea has also been closely monitoring North Korea's military cooperation with Russia. Pyongyang's sending troops to the Russian side of the conflict has increased international attention on the relationship between the two countries.
At the same time South Korea has provided support to Ukraine but has so far not provided lethal weapons to countries involved in active conflicts. Seoul has also been demanding better military assistance from Kyiv, including advanced air defense. A diplomatic dispute on the POW transfer could add another layer to the mix between the two countries.
Diplomatic Tensions Over Disclosure
The dispute has now moved from what happens to the two North Korean soldiers to the handling of the transfer. Seoul claims the disclosure violated an agreement to protect the soldiers and avoid any legal action, whereas Ukrainian officials have downplayed or denied the existence and significance of such an arrangement.
For South Korea, the demand for an official explanation and apology is a clear escalation in its response. Seoul has also left open the possibility of more measures, but did not indicate what would be the extent of further measures.
The episode is also taking place as South Korea is still trying to manage its relations with Ukraine and North Korea in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The way that North Korean POWs are handled has become a diplomatic issue between Seoul and Kyiv, and the two sides are in a position of questions for their confidentiality, humanitarian interests and an overall bilateral relationship.
