South Korea’s presidential office has sought an official explanation and apology from Ukraine over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. Seoul accused Kyiv of disclosing the transfer and then falsely denying that the two countries had agreed to keep the move confidential.
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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had earlier said Ukraine breached a non-disclosure agreement by disclosing the transfer. In a post on X, Lee said “it was appropriate in every aspect not to disclose” the transfer, citing its potential consequences, and said the two sides had agreed to keep the matter 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.
“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 the South Korean government was reviewing additional measures over the issue, if necessary.
He said Ukraine had repeatedly discussed the transfer of the prisoners with Seoul through various channels and had requested that the matter be kept confidential. According to Seong, Kyiv feared that publicly disclosing the transfer could trigger domestic criticism that it had given up an opportunity to exchange the North Korean soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners.
Seong said South Korea had agreed to keep the transfer confidential due to security, diplomatic and humanitarian concerns, including the safety of the prisoners and their families.
However, according to the statement, Ukraine later disclosed the transfer during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address to the United Nations General Assembly without sufficient prior consultation and subsequently denied that any confidentiality agreement had been reached.
Seong said Ukraine’s denial had seriously damaged trust between the two governments and could affect bilateral relations.
Ukraine captured the two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025. They were the first North Korean soldiers to be captured alive after Pyongyang entered the war in 2024 in support of Russia, as cited by Reuters.
South Korea had earlier declined to confirm their arrival, citing concerns over the safety of the soldiers and their family members 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.
