South Korea Seeks Ukraine’s Explanation, Apology Over North Korean POW Transfer Disclosure

South Korea’s presidential office has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea and then falsely denying that the two governments had agreed to keep the move confidential.

“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,” senior presidential secretary for public relations Seong Ghi-hong said in a statement released Sunday.

He added that Seoul was reviewing whether further measures were necessary over the issue.

According to Seong, Ukraine had repeatedly discussed the transfer with South Korea through various channels and requested that it remain secret. Kyiv had argued that publicly disclosing the move could trigger domestic criticism that Ukraine had surrendered an opportunity to exchange the soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners.

South Korea agreed to maintain confidentiality because of security, diplomatic and humanitarian concerns, including the safety of the two prisoners and their families, Seong said.

The South Korean presidential office said Ukraine later disclosed the transfer in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to the United Nations General Assembly without sufficient prior consultation. Kyiv subsequently denied that any confidentiality agreement had existed, Seoul said.

Seong described the denial as a serious blow to trust between the two governments and warned that it could affect bilateral relations.

Ukraine’s embassy in Seoul did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Zelensky told the UN General Assembly last week that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. He said the men had been sent to Seoul after being captured while fighting alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had earlier accused Ukraine of violating a non-disclosure agreement over the transfer.

In a post on X, Lee said keeping the transfer confidential had been appropriate given its potential consequences and that the two countries had agreed not to disclose it.

“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 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 began supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine in 2024.

South Korea had previously declined to confirm that the soldiers had arrived in the country, citing concerns about their safety and the security of family members who remained in North Korea.

Seoul and Kyiv had been discussing a possible transfer after the two soldiers expressed a desire to travel to South Korea, according to an opposition lawmaker in Seoul.

The transfer comes as South Korea has supported efforts to revive dialogue with North Korea, while US President Donald Trump has renewed his willingness to engage with Pyongyang.