South Korea Demands Ukraine Apology Over Disclosure Of North Korean POW Transfer

South Korea has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of breaching a confidentiality agreement over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul. South Korea says Ukraine publicly disclosed the transfer despite an agreement to keep it confidential and later denied that such an agreement existed. The two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025. The dispute comes amid growing North Korean military cooperation with Russia and could affect trust between Seoul and Kyiv.

SEOUL DEMANDS EXPLANATION AND APOLOGY FROM KYIV

South Korea has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine over the public disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea.
Seoul says the transfer had been covered by a confidentiality agreement between the two governments and accuses Kyiv of violating that understanding by announcing the move publicly.
South Korea's presidential office also expressed concern that Ukrainian officials subsequently denied the existence of such an agreement.
Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, said Seoul was considering additional measures if necessary, although he did not specify what those measures could involve.

ZELENSKYY ANNOUNCED THE TRANSFER AT THE UN

The dispute began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York that two North Korean soldiers captured during Russia's war against Ukraine had recently been transferred to South Korea.
Zelenskyy said the two soldiers had not been easy to capture alive.
The announcement came after months of discussions between Seoul and Kyiv over what should happen to the two prisoners, who had been captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung subsequently said the disclosure had breached an agreement to keep the transfer confidential.
Lee said the issue was particularly sensitive because it involved diplomatic, security and humanitarian considerations.

SEOUL SAYS KYIV REQUESTED CONFIDENTIALITY

According to South Korea's presidential office, Ukraine itself requested that the transfer remain confidential.
Seong said Kyiv had raised concerns about the sensitivity of the prisoners' transfer, including the possibility that the move could generate criticism in Ukraine because the two soldiers might otherwise have been considered potential bargaining chips in prisoner exchanges.
South Korea says it agreed to maintain secrecy because of concerns about the safety of the two prisoners, their families and wider diplomatic and security considerations.
Seoul says the two governments discussed the transfer through several channels before the prisoners were eventually moved to South Korea.

UKRAINE DISPUTES SEOUL'S CHARACTERISATION

Ukraine's position has differed from Seoul's description of the agreement.
After Zelenskyy's announcement, Ukrainian officials said the transfer had been carried out through direct dialogue with South Korea.
Ukrainian media subsequently reported a presidential source as denying that there had been a confidentiality agreement covering the transfer.
South Korea has strongly disputed that account, describing the reported denial as false and saying it further damaged trust between the two governments.
The disagreement therefore centres not on whether the two prisoners were transferred, which both sides acknowledge, but on whether Kyiv had agreed to keep the transfer confidential and whether that understanding was subsequently breached.

WHO ARE THE TWO NORTH KOREAN SOLDIERS?

The two prisoners were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025.
They were among thousands of North Korean troops deployed to Russia to support Moscow's war effort.
Ukraine has said North Korean forces were deployed to help Russia fight Ukrainian troops after Kyiv launched an offensive into the Kursk region.
The prisoners became particularly important because they were the first known North Korean soldiers captured alive by Ukrainian forces during the conflict.

NORTH KOREA SENT TROOPS TO SUPPORT RUSSIA

North Korea's military involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine has significantly changed the international dimension of the conflict.
Pyongyang has provided Russia with military support, including troops and other assistance, while Moscow and Pyongyang have strengthened their military relationship.
South Korean and Ukrainian officials have previously estimated that thousands of North Korean troops were deployed to Russia.
Ukraine has also reported significant North Korean casualties during fighting in the Kursk region, although exact figures remain difficult to independently verify.

WHY SEOUL WAS CAUTIOUS ABOUT TAKING THE PRISONERS

South Korea's decision to receive the two prisoners was politically and diplomatically sensitive.
Under South Korea's Constitution, the country regards the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea, as part of its territory. This has provided a legal basis for Seoul to consider North Koreans as South Korean nationals under certain circumstances.
However, the issue was complicated by the prisoners' personal wishes, their status under international humanitarian law and the possible consequences for their families in North Korea.
South Korea had previously avoided publicly confirming whether the two men would be brought to the country, citing concerns about their safety and the safety of their relatives.

PRISONER EXCHANGE CONCERNS ALSO PLAYED A ROLE

The South Korean presidential office said Ukraine had been concerned about the possibility of losing an opportunity to use the two North Korean prisoners in negotiations involving Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia.
That concern was reportedly one of the reasons Kyiv sought confidentiality.
South Korea says it accepted the request because the safety of the prisoners and their families was considered more important than publicity surrounding the transfer.

SOUTH KOREA AND UKRAINE REMAIN PARTNERS

Despite the dispute, South Korea and Ukraine maintain diplomatic relations and cooperate on a range of issues.
Seoul has supported Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, although its assistance has largely focused on humanitarian and non-lethal support.
Ukraine has repeatedly sought greater military assistance from South Korea, including advanced air-defence equipment.
The latest disagreement could therefore create an additional complication in relations between the two countries at a time when Kyiv is seeking continued international support.

THE DISPUTE COULD AFFECT BILATERAL TRUST

South Korea's presidential office said the issue had seriously damaged trust between Seoul and Kyiv.
The government has not announced any specific diplomatic retaliation.
Instead, officials have said they are reviewing whether additional measures are necessary.
The dispute also highlights the difficulty of handling highly sensitive prisoner transfers during wartime, particularly when several governments have competing diplomatic, security and humanitarian interests.

NORTH KOREAN INVOLVEMENT IN THE WAR REMAINS A MAJOR ISSUE

The presence of North Korean troops in Russia has become one of the most significant developments in the wider Ukraine conflict.
It has brought the security interests of South Korea more directly into a European war and strengthened cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Seoul has closely monitored the deployment because of concerns that North Korean troops could gain battlefield experience and access to military technologies through their cooperation with Russia.
Ukrainian officials have also warned that Russia could seek additional North Korean military support.

A DIPLOMATIC DISPUTE OVER A HIGHLY SENSITIVE TRANSFER

For now, the disagreement between South Korea and Ukraine centres on the handling of the two North Korean prisoners rather than the transfer itself.
Seoul says Kyiv violated a confidentiality agreement and then compounded the problem by denying that such an agreement existed.
Kyiv, according to Ukrainian reports, maintains that it disclosed the fact of the transfer after direct discussions with Seoul and disputes Seoul's description of the confidentiality arrangement.
South Korea is now seeking an official explanation and apology while reviewing possible further measures.
The episode demonstrates how a seemingly limited prisoner transfer can become a diplomatic issue when it involves North Korea, Russia, Ukraine and the wider security interests of the Korean Peninsula.