South Korea Seeks Apology From Ukraine Over North Korean POW Disclosure

South Korea has asked Ukraine to apologise after Kyiv publicly disclosed that two North Korean prisoners of war had been transferred to South Korea, with Seoul saying the disclosure breached an understanding to keep the sensitive matter confidential. The dispute follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s remarks at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where he said Ukraine had transferred two North Korean soldiers captured in Russia’s Kursk region to South Korea.

The soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025 after North Korean troops were deployed to Russia in support of Moscow’s war effort. Their transfer to South Korea has attracted international attention because they are among the North Korean personnel captured alive during the conflict. South Korean officials said Seoul and Kyiv had agreed to handle information about the transfer confidentially. According to South Korea, keeping the matter private was important because of security and humanitarian concerns, particularly the potential consequences for the soldiers and their relatives in North Korea.

South Korea’s presidential office expressed regret over Ukraine’s decision to make the transfer public. Seoul has also objected to Ukrainian officials reportedly denying that a confidentiality agreement existed. The disagreement has now developed into a diplomatic issue between the two countries. South Korea is seeking an explanation from Kyiv and has called for an apology over the disclosure.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has disputed Seoul’s account of the arrangement, saying there was no confidentiality agreement covering the transfer. The conflicting statements have left the two sides at odds over how the sensitive case was handled. The North Korean soldiers’ future has also been closely watched because South Korea has previously indicated that North Korean nationals who voluntarily seek refuge in the South can be accepted under its legal framework. The latest disagreement comes as Seoul and Kyiv continue to maintain broader diplomatic and security ties. Both governments will now face the task of resolving the dispute while dealing with the wider implications of North Korean military involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from al jazeera.