South Korea Demands Official Apology from Ukraine Over Leaked Transfer of North Korean POWs

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung accused Ukraine of disclosing the information without regard to relations between the two Koreas or loss of life. South Korea has demanded an official apology and explanation from Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul.

Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, said in a statement on Sunday that the president’s office expressed strong regret over Ukraine’s unilateral disclosure and its subsequent false announcement that there had not been a non-disclosure agreement. He said Ukraine had repeatedly discussed the prisoners’ transfer with Seoul through various channels and had requested secrecy, though Kyiv stated no secrecy agreement existed.

Speaking at the annual United Nations General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea after they were caught fighting for Russia in the Kursk region. Zelenskyy highlighted that capturing these soldiers alive was extremely difficult and condemned North Korea's troop deployment in support of Moscow.

South Korea previously declined to confirm the soldiers’ arrival, citing safety concerns for them and their families. President Lee Jae Myung criticized the public disclosure as a violation of confidentiality that disregarded inter-Korean relations and national interests. Meanwhile, domestic opposition politicians, including Ahn Cheol-soo of the People Power Party and lawmaker Yu Yong-weon, questioned the government's handling of the sensitive matter.

Authorities in Seoul announced that the captured soldiers will undergo questioning, security screening, and review under the North Korean Defectors Protection and Settlement Support Act to determine protection and resettlement.