South Korea has formally requested an official apology and explanation from Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of unilaterally revealing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul. The diplomatic friction emerged following statements made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the United Nations General Assembly last week.
Seong Ghi-hong, the senior presidential secretary for public relations, stated in a Sunday declaration that the president’s office expressed “strong regret” over Ukraine’s decision to disclose the transfer. Seong added that Kyiv had repeatedly discussed the movement of the prisoners through various diplomatic channels and had explicitly requested confidentiality.
The controversy began when Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had handed over two captured North Korean soldiers who were fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region. He revealed that one of the soldiers attempted suicide upon realizing he was being taken prisoner. Zelenskyy also criticized North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for using soldiers as political currency and suggested he would return them to Pyongyang if it facilitated the exchange of Ukrainians held captive in Russia.
Despite these revelations, South Korean authorities had previously declined to confirm the soldiers’ arrival, citing safety concerns for the men and their relatives still living in North Korea. President Lee Jae Myung described the repatriation of North Korean POWs as a “highly sensitive agenda.” In a post on X, President Lee criticized those who publicly advertised the return of the soldiers to showcase achievements, noting that such actions disregarded the potential impact on inter-Korean relations and national interests.
“I do not know the reasons behind Ukraine’s disclosure in violation of the non-disclosure agreement, but it is deeply regrettable,” Lee wrote. Seong emphasized that Zelenskyy’s subsequent denial that any confidentiality pact existed had severely damaged trust between the two governments and could harm bilateral relations.
South Korea remains technically at war with North Korea due to the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War. Approximately 14,000 to 15,000 North Korean soldiers are estimated to have been deployed to support Russia’s war effort, with most stationed in the Kursk region to counter Ukrainian advances. North Korea has also supplied Moscow with various military hardware, including ballistic missiles and artillery systems.
While the South Korean government faced criticism from opposition figures for keeping the transfer secret, some lawmakers questioned whether the concealment was politically motivated. Meanwhile, the two soldiers are expected to undergo security screenings and questioning. According to the Ministry of Unification, their cases will be reviewed under the North Korean Defectors Protection and Settlement Support Act to determine their eligibility for protection and resettlement.
Yu Yong-weon, an opposition lawmaker who met the soldiers in Ukraine in February 2025, noted that the men served in North Korea’s special forces and may possess valuable intelligence regarding Pyongyang’s military training and capabilities.
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