South Korea Demands Apology From Ukraine Over Disclosure of North Korean POW Transfer

South Korea’s presidential office has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of revealing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea and then wrongly denying that the two sides had agreed to keep it secret. A senior presidential secretary said Seoul expressed strong regret over the unilateral disclosure and the later claim that no non disclosure agreement existed. The government is reviewing further measures if needed, and Ukraine’s embassy in Seoul had not commented.

What Led to the Dispute

According to Seoul, Ukraine discussed the transfer through several channels and asked for secrecy, arguing that going public could draw domestic criticism that Kyiv had passed up a chance to swap the soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners. South Korea agreed to stay quiet over security, diplomatic and humanitarian concerns, including the safety of the prisoners and their families. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy then announced the transfer in his address to the UN General Assembly last week. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had already said the disclosure breached the agreement and called it deeply regrettable.

Background on the Captured Soldiers

Ukraine captured the two men in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025, making them the first North Korean soldiers taken alive since Pyongyang joined the war in 2024. An opposition lawmaker said the two had asked to go to South Korea. Seoul says the row has seriously damaged trust and could harm relations, at a time when it is backing efforts to restart dialogue with North Korea and President Donald Trump has renewed his openness to talks with Pyongyang.