South Korea demands apology from Ukraine over North Korean prisoners' transfer

South Korea’s presidential office has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of publicly disclosing the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea despite an alleged confidentiality agreement between the two governments. “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, senior presidential secretary for public relations, said in a statement released on Sunday.

Seong said South Korea was considering additional measures if deemed necessary, warning that the dispute could affect relations between Seoul and Kyiv. According to the presidential office, Ukraine had held repeated discussions with South Korea through several channels about transferring the two North Korean prisoners and had requested that the arrangement remain confidential. Ukraine reportedly sought secrecy because public disclosure could lead to criticism at home that Kyiv had surrendered a potential opportunity to exchange the North Korean soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners.

South Korea agreed to maintain confidentiality, citing security, diplomatic and humanitarian considerations. Seoul also said secrecy was important to protect the prisoners and their relatives, including family members who remain in North Korea. The South Korean government said Ukraine later disclosed the transfer during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to the United Nations General Assembly without adequate prior consultation with Seoul. The dispute intensified after Ukraine subsequently denied that a confidentiality agreement had existed.

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Seong said the denial had significantly undermined trust between the two governments and could have consequences for bilateral relations. Zelensky told the United Nations General Assembly last week that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. According to Zelensky, the soldiers had been captured while fighting alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine and were later sent to South Korea.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had already criticized the disclosure, saying Ukraine had revealed the transfer despite an agreement between the two countries to keep the matter confidential. In a post on X, Lee said “it was appropriate in every aspect not to disclose” the transfer, given the potential consequences, and that the two sides had agreed to keep it confidential. “I do not know what circumstances led the Ukrainian side to disclose the matter despite the confidentiality agreement, but it is deeply regrettable,” he wrote.

Ukrainian forces captured the two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025. They were the first North Korean troops captured alive after Pyongyang became directly involved in Russia’s war effort in 2024. South Korea had previously avoided confirming whether the soldiers had arrived in the country, citing concerns over their security and the safety of relatives who remain in North Korea. The transfer followed discussions between Seoul and Kyiv after the two soldiers reportedly expressed a desire to travel to South Korea, according to an opposition lawmaker in Seoul.