South Korea has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine after Kyiv publicly revealed the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to Seoul and subsequently denied the existence of a confidentiality agreement, Reuters reported Monday.
The Ukrainian presidential office, however, rejected Seoul’s claims, stating it never promised to keep the transfer secret, escalating a diplomatic dispute between the two nations.
Sung Ki-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, expressed “strong regret” in a statement over Ukraine’s unilateral disclosure and its “false announcement” denying the non-disclosure deal. Sung added that South Korea is considering additional measures if necessary.
According to Sung, Ukraine had repeatedly requested confidentiality during negotiations over the POW transfer through multiple channels. Kyiv reportedly raised concerns that publicizing the move could trigger domestic criticism for relinquishing opportunities to exchange the North Koreans for captured Ukrainian troops.
Seoul agreed to keep the matter confidential due to security, diplomatic, and humanitarian concerns, including the safety of the soldiers and their families remaining in North Korea, Sung explained.
However, the South Korean presidential office said Ukraine disclosed the transfer during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address to the United Nations General Assembly without sufficient prior consultation, and subsequently denied that a confidentiality agreement ever existed. Sung warned that this denial severely damaged mutual trust and could negatively impact bilateral relations.
In response, an official from the Ukrainian presidential office told Ukrainian media outlet RBC-Ukraine that Kyiv made no promise of secrecy.
“Ukraine never promised to keep this a secret, and we do not hide information regarding prisoners of war,” the official said, adding that the public has a right to know how POW matters are handled. The official also noted that no critical details of the transfer process were leaked, remarking, “There is a lot of interesting information, including details about them.”
The clash erupted after South Korean President Lee Jae-myung publicly criticized Ukraine for breaching the confidentiality agreement. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Lee said keeping the matter private was appropriate given diplomatic friction risks and potential threats to the families of the soldiers in the North. Calling the disclosure “cruel and irresponsible,” Lee expressed deep regret over Kyiv’s actions.
On Sept. 23, President Zelenskyy announced during his UN General Assembly speech that Ukraine had recently transferred two captured North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia to South Korea. Zelenskyy noted that capturing North Korean troops was extremely difficult, revealing that one of the soldiers attempted suicide upon realization of his capture.
Ukrainian forces captured the two soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region in January last year. They represent the first North Korean military personnel captured since Pyongyang deployed troops to support Russia’s war effort in 2024.
South Korea had previously refrained from confirming their arrival out of concern for the safety of the soldiers and their families. According to a South Korean opposition lawmaker, Seoul and Kyiv negotiated the transfer after both soldiers expressed a desire to go to South Korea.
The diplomatic fallout comes as South Korea continues to support efforts to resume dialogue with North Korea, and amid renewed statements from U.S. President Donald Trump expressing a willingness to engage with Pyongyang.
