South Korea Demands Apology After Ukraine Discloses POW Transfer
South Korea is demanding an apology from Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly disclosed the secret transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war.
The South Korean presidential office has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine after Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea during a September 23 address to the United Nations General Assembly. The soldiers were captured in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025 while fighting for Russia.
President Lee Jae Myung and senior presidential secretary Seong Ghi-hong accused Kyiv of breaching a nondisclosure agreement and subsequently issuing a false announcement denying the pact's existence. Seoul asserts that Ukraine originally requested secrecy to avoid domestic criticism for not using the soldiers as exchange leverage for Ukrainian prisoners. Lee Jae Myung characterized the disclosure as prioritizing short-term political interests over national security, stating that those who jeopardize national interests for political gain can be called "killers or traitors."
Ukraine has denied the existence of a secrecy agreement. Presidential aide Dmytro Lytvyn defended the disclosure, stating Ukraine is "an open country" and that reporting the transfer was appropriate. However, the dispute has caused internal friction in Ukraine, with Oksana Torop, an adviser to Ambassador Valery Zaluzhny, asserting that a confidentiality agreement did exist and describing the announcement as a "show."
South Korean officials warn that the denial of the agreement gravely damages friendly relations and undermines trust between the two governments. The South Korean presidential office is currently reviewing additional measures in response to the incident.
