South Korea Demands Apology From Ukraine Over Disclosure of North Korean POW Transfer

South Korea has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine over Kyiv’s public disclosure that two North Korean prisoners of war had been transferred to South Korea, escalating a diplomatic dispute over whether the move was covered by a confidentiality agreement. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung first criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for revealing the transfer during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Writing on X on Thursday during a visit to Mexico, Lee said publicly disclosing the transfer could create serious diplomatic and security problems. “The repatriation of North Korean prisoners is an extremely sensitive issue with serious implications for diplomacy, national security and the situation on the Korean Peninsula,” Lee said. “It was appropriate in every aspect not to disclose, considering many problems it may cause when disclosed, and [we] had agreed to do so,” he added. On Sunday, South Korea’s presidential office went further, demanding an official explanation and apology from Kyiv. “The presidential office expresses strong regret over Ukraine’s unilateral disclosure and its subsequent false announcement that there had not been a non-disclosure agreement,” Seong Ghi-hong, a senior presidential secretary for public relations, said in a statement. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Carrying Out Airdrops of Food Via Drone to City Besieged by Russian Forces, Official Says The city of Oleshky in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, which is claimed by Russia, has been faced with a deepening humanitarian crisis amid continued Russian occupation. Seong said Seoul was reviewing additional measures over the dispute if necessary, adding that Ukraine’s denial of the confidentiality arrangement had seriously damaged trust between the two governments and could affect bilateral relations. Seoul says transfer was meant to stay secret Lee said on Thursday the South Korean government had faced calls from both within the administration and from opposition politicians to disclose the return of the two soldiers. He defended the decision to keep the transfer private, saying the issue could affect inter-Korean relations, national security and the safety of the prisoners and their families in North Korea. “I do not know the specific circumstances that prompted the Ukrainian side to breach the agreement and make the information public, but this is deeply regrettable,” Lee said. South Korean officials have said Kyiv had repeatedly discussed the transfer with Seoul through diplomatic channels and had requested that it remain confidential because of the potential risks. Seoul had previously declined to confirm that the two North Korean soldiers had arrived in the country, citing concerns over their safety and that of their families. Ukraine disputes confidentiality claim Kyiv has disputed Seoul’s characterization of the arrangement. In response to South Korean media inquiries, a Ukrainian presidential official said Seoul had been informed in advance that Zelensky might mention the transfer during his UN speech. The official said Ukraine had disclosed only the fact that the two soldiers had been transferred to South Korea, without revealing details about how or when the operation took place. Kyiv also said it would have been strange to keep the transfer entirely secret, particularly because South Korean authorities later confirmed that the handover had taken place following direct discussions between the two governments. A senior South Korean official similarly confirmed that Seoul had been told beforehand that Zelensky might mention the prisoners, but said South Korea had asked that their destination not be disclosed. The disagreement therefore centers on what exactly Kyiv and Seoul agreed to keep confidential: South Korea says there was an understanding not to disclose the prisoners’ transfer to the country, while Ukraine says it did not agree to conceal the fact that the transfer had taken place. Two North Korean soldiers captured in Kursk The two soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025 after being deployed alongside thousands of North Korean troops supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine. They were the first North Korean soldiers known to have been captured alive since Pyongyang began sending troops to support Moscow. The soldiers later expressed a desire to go to South Korea rather than return to North Korea. Seoul and Kyiv subsequently held discussions over their transfer on humanitarian grounds. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.