South Korea Demands Apology from Ukraine Over North Korean POW Transfer

South Korea has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea despite an agreement to keep the matter confidential.

South Korea’s presidential office said on Sunday that it strongly regretted Ukraine’s decision to publicly reveal the transfer and later deny that a confidentiality agreement existed.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced at the United Nations General Assembly last week that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean soldiers to South Korea. The men were captured in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025 while fighting alongside Russian forces.

According to South Korean officials, Ukraine had previously discussed the transfer with Seoul through diplomatic channels and requested that it remain secret. Seoul agreed, citing security, diplomatic and humanitarian concerns, including the safety of the prisoners and their families.

South Korea said Zelenskyy’s public disclosure at the UN was made without adequate consultation and that Ukraine’s subsequent denial of a non-disclosure agreement had seriously damaged trust between the two governments.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung also said the transfer should have remained confidential because of its potential consequences.

Ukraine, however, defended its decision. Zelenskyy’s aide, Dmytro Lytvyn, said Ukraine was an “open country” and argued that publicly acknowledging the transfer was not the same as revealing sensitive details.

The two North Korean soldiers were among troops sent by Pyongyang to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. South Korean intelligence estimates that North Korea has deployed between 14,000 and 15,000 soldiers to Russia since 2024, mainly to the Kursk region.

South Korean, Ukrainian and Western officials estimate that more than 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed in the fighting.

The dispute comes as South Korea seeks to revive dialogue with North Korea, while the United States has also expressed renewed willingness to engage with Pyongyang.