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// DOSSIER — south-korea-ukraine-north-korea-pow-rift
Diplomatic Rift Between South Korea and Ukraine Over North Korean POW Disclosure
REL_TIME: 29 Sep 2026 21:12Z · LANG: EN
South Korea's presidential office has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly announced at the UN General Assembly that two captured North Korean prisoners of war had been transferred to South Korea. Seoul contends that the transfer was subject to a strict confidentiality agreement negotiated across multiple channels to protect the safety of the soldiers and their families and to avoid diplomatic fallout. Ukraine, however, denied the existence of a nondisclosure pact, stating that as an open country it only confirmed the factual handover, prompting Seoul to warn that bilateral trust has been severely damaged.
// Background
Pyongyang deployed troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine in 2024, sending an estimated 14,000 to 15,000 personnel primarily to Russia's Kursk region. The two POWs were captured alive in January 2025. Because South Korea legally regards the North as part of its territory and North Korean defectors face persecution if repatriated, discussions were held between Seoul and Kyiv regarding their resettlement. South Korea has provided humanitarian aid and sanctions support to Ukraine but maintains a policy against providing direct lethal military support, and Seoul is cautious about disruptions to potential diplomatic dialogue with North Korea.
// Key Developments
- South Korea demanded an official apology and explanation from Ukraine for publicly revealing the transfer of two North Korean POWs.
- Seoul accused Kyiv of breaching a confidentiality agreement and falsely claiming no nondisclosure agreement existed.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the transfer during his address to the 81st UN General Assembly.
- Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn defended Kyiv's disclosure, arguing Ukraine is an open country and merely reported the fact.
- The two soldiers were captured alive in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025 and had expressed a desire to resettle in South Korea.
// Timeline
-
North Korea begins deploying troops to assist Russia in its war against Ukraine.
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Ukrainian forces capture two North Korean soldiers alive in Russia's Kursk region.
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South Korea and Ukraine hold a foreign ministers' meeting and pledge cooperation on the POW issue.
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President Lee Jae Myung and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet at a NATO summit in Ankara, agreeing to address North Korean POW status under international law.
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President Zelenskyy announces during his speech to the UN General Assembly that Ukraine transferred the two North Korean POWs to South Korea.
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President Lee Jae Myung posts on X expressing regret and stating Ukraine breached a confidentiality agreement.
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South Korea's presidential office issues an official statement through Seong Ghi-hong demanding an explanation and apology from Ukraine.
// Perspectives
[South Korean Presidential Office]
Insists a nondisclosure agreement was in place, strongly regrets Ukraine's unilateral announcement and subsequent denial, and is reviewing additional measures over damaged bilateral trust.
[Ukrainian Government]
Rejects claims of a formal secrecy agreement, maintains that Ukraine is an open country, and asserts it only stated the basic fact of the soldiers' transfer to South Korea.
// Quotes
“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.”
“I do not know what circumstances led the Ukrainian side to disclose the matter despite the confidentiality agreement, but it is deeply regrettable.”
“These guys are not easy to capture alive. One of them, when he realized he was going to be taken prisoner, tried to kill himself and he was shocked that fate didn’t let him die. This is how they raise people in the North.”
“From the entire story – which is long and detailed – we reported only the fact itself, that they were sent to the Republic of Korea.”
