SEOUL — A diplomatic dispute between South Korea and Ukraine has intensified after Seoul accused Kyiv of breaking a confidentiality agreement over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea.
South Korea’s presidential office expressed “strong regret” over Ukraine’s public disclosure of the transfer and its subsequent denial that a nondisclosure agreement existed.
Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, said Seoul is considering additional measures if necessary and called for an official explanation and apology from Kyiv.
How the Dispute Began
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 23.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine had recently sent two North Korean soldiers captured during the war to South Korea.
The disclosure prompted Seoul to say that the two governments had agreed to keep the transfer confidential, primarily because of concerns over the safety of the soldiers and their families, as well as broader diplomatic and security considerations.
South Korea says Ukraine had requested confidentiality because publicly transferring the soldiers to Seoul could generate domestic criticism in Ukraine, including concerns about losing a potential opportunity to exchange the POWs for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia.
Kyiv Disputes Seoul’s Account
The two sides now have sharply different accounts of what was agreed.
South Korea says a confidentiality arrangement was reached following consultations between the governments.
Ukrainian officials and sources cited by Ukrainian media have disputed that characterization, with one Ukrainian presidential source reportedly saying there was no such agreement.
Kyiv has also argued that the transfer could be publicly acknowledged without revealing sensitive operational details.
That conflicting account has become a central part of the dispute, with Seoul saying the denial itself has damaged trust between the two governments.
Who Are the Two North Korean POWs?
The two soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025 after being deployed there in support of Russia’s war effort.
South Korean officials have said the soldiers expressed a desire to go to South Korea.
Seoul had previously avoided publicly confirming details about their status or transfer, citing concerns involving their safety and that of their families in North Korea.
The issue had already been discussed at the diplomatic level. South Korean and Ukrainian officials had previously agreed to cooperate on handling the North Korean POW issue in accordance with international law, including during discussions between their foreign ministers in March and a later meeting between President Lee Jae Myung and Zelenskyy.
Why the Transfer Is Sensitive
The case involves more than the transfer of two prisoners.
North Korean troops have been deployed to support Russia’s war effort, making captured North Korean soldiers an unusual diplomatic and humanitarian issue involving South Korea, Ukraine, Russia and North Korea.
South Korea’s government has emphasized the safety of the two soldiers and their families, while Ukraine has publicly highlighted their transfer as part of its broader account of North Korean involvement in the conflict.
The disagreement over whether a confidentiality agreement existed has now introduced a separate diplomatic issue between Seoul and Kyiv.
Seoul Considers Its Next Steps
South Korea’s presidential office said it is reviewing whether additional measures are necessary.
For now, the two governments remain divided over a basic question: whether an agreement existed to keep the POW transfer confidential.
Seoul says Ukraine requested secrecy and later disclosed the transfer without prior consultation. Ukrainian sources have disputed that account.
As both sides maintain different versions of events, the dispute could become a test of diplomatic trust between South Korea and Ukraine — particularly as Seoul continues to address the sensitive status of North Korean soldiers captured in the Russia-Ukraine war.
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