OMM Redaksiyası
South Korea has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine over the disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, according to AFP and Reuters.
Seong Ghi-hong, a senior presidential secretary for public relations, said the presidential office strongly regretted Ukraine’s “unilateral disclosure” and its subsequent denial that a non-disclosure agreement existed.
“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 said in a statement released on Sunday.
He added that the South Korean government was considering further measures if necessary, warning that the dispute had seriously damaged trust between the two governments and could affect bilateral relations.
Seoul says transfer was meant to remain confidential
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced last week at the United Nations General Assembly that Kyiv had recently transferred two North Korean POWs to South Korea. He said the men had been captured while fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine.
According to Seoul, Ukrainian officials had discussed the transfer through several channels and asked South Korea to keep it secret. Kyiv reportedly feared that public disclosure could lead to domestic criticism that Ukraine had surrendered an opportunity to exchange the soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners.
South Korea agreed to the request, citing security, diplomatic and humanitarian concerns, including the safety of the prisoners and their families, Seong said.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said in a post on X that Ukraine had disclosed the transfer in breach of the agreement. He described keeping the matter confidential as the appropriate course of action given the possible consequences.
“I do not know what circumstances led the Ukrainian side to disclose the matter despite the confidentiality agreement, but it is deeply regrettable,” Lee wrote.
Ukraine defends public announcement
Dmytro Lytvyn, an aide to Zelenskyy, said Ukraine was “an open country” and suggested that secretly transferring the soldiers would have been unusual.
“From the entire story – which is long and detailed – we reported only the fact itself, that they were sent to the Republic of Korea,” he told journalists.
North Korean soldiers captured in Russia’s Kursk region
Ukraine captured the two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025. They were the first North Korean troops captured alive since Pyongyang entered the war in 2024 to support Russia.
The transfer took place as South Korea supported efforts to revive dialogue with North Korea and US President Donald Trump renewed his willingness to engage with Pyongyang.
The status of North Korean POWs was discussed at a NATO summit in Ankara in July, where Lee met Zelenskyy. South Korean officials said the two leaders agreed to address the issue in accordance with international law.
The agreement followed a March meeting between the South Korean and Ukrainian foreign ministers, when both countries pledged to cooperate on the POW issue.
South Korean intelligence estimates that North Korea has deployed around 14,000 to 15,000 soldiers to support Moscow’s war against Ukraine since 2024, mainly in Russia’s Kursk border region. South Korean, Ukrainian and Western officials have said more than 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed in the fighting.
