South Korea Demands Apology After Zelensky Discloses POW Transfer

A diplomatic rift has emerged between Seoul and Kyiv after Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea during a United Nations General Assembly speech on September 23. The soldiers, identified as former special forces surnamed Paek and Ri, were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025 while fighting for Moscow. Zelenskyy noted that the soldiers were "not easy to capture alive."

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung condemned the disclosure as a breach of a confidential bilateral agreement intended to protect the soldiers' families in North Korea and maintain regional security. Lee described the move as "deeply regrettable" and warned that prioritizing political gain over national security is the act of "murderers and traitors." The South Korean presidential office has since demanded an official explanation and apology, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to protest the unilateral disclosure.

Ukraine has denied the existence of any secrecy pact, with aide Dmytro Lytvyn asserting that Ukraine is "an open country" and that the announcement was a simple statement of fact. However, internal friction appeared within Ukraine when an adviser to Ambassador Valery Zaluzhny described the announcement as a "show." In South Korea, the opposition People Power Party criticized the Lee administration for its initial secrecy, accusing it of fearing to offend Kim Jong-un.

The two former soldiers are currently in South Korean government care undergoing security screenings by the National Intelligence Service. The dispute occurs as Ukraine seeks lethal military assistance from Seoul and reports that Pyongyang is preparing to deploy an additional 10,000 troops to Russia.