Seoul Seeks Apology from Kyiv Over Disclosure of North Korean POW Transfer
South Korea's presidential office has demanded an apology from Ukraine after Kyiv denied there was a confidentiality agreement about transferring two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly mentioned the transfer at the United Nations, prompting South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to express disappointment. A South Korean official said Ukraine's denial of the agreement damages trust and friendly relations.
Seoul’s complaint centers on a dispute over whether the two governments had agreed to keep the handover quiet. Ukraine’s president disclosed at the UN that two North Korean soldiers had been sent south, while a Ukrainian aide said Kyiv saw no reason for secrecy and confirmed only the transfer itself.
The two men were taken in the previous year from North Korean units supporting Moscow. A South Korean legislator said the men hoped to settle in the South. Seoul treats all Koreans, including northerners, as citizens under its constitution, a position officials say covers such captured troops.
The dispute may affect how South Korean citizens view Ukraine’s reliability as a partner, while the two North Korean soldiers could face uncertainty over resettlement and legal status. It could also complicate future quiet cooperation between Seoul and Kyiv on similar sensitive cases. Yet because both sides share broader security concerns, the rift may remain limited unless Seoul pursues the additional measures it has hinted at.