Ukraine is seeking to resolve a diplomatic dispute with South Korea after Kyiv publicly disclosed the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to Seoul, despite South Korean concerns that details of the arrangement were supposed to remain confidential.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the situation as a “diplomatic misunderstanding” and said Kyiv hopes the issue can be settled in the near future. He also emphasized that South Korea remains an important partner for Ukraine.
The dispute began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced during his address to the United Nations General Assembly that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.
The two soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025. They were among North Korean personnel deployed to support Russian forces in the war against Ukraine.
South Korean officials subsequently expressed strong concern over the public disclosure. Seoul said the two countries had understood that information about the transfer would remain confidential because of security, diplomatic and humanitarian concerns, including the safety of the prisoners and their relatives in North Korea.
South Korea summoned Ukraine’s acting ambassador and requested an official explanation and apology. Seoul also objected to statements from the Ukrainian presidential office denying that there had been a confidentiality agreement.
Kyiv and Seoul have given differing accounts of what was agreed during discussions over the prisoners’ transfer. South Korean officials have maintained that confidentiality was part of the arrangement, while Ukrainian officials have disputed that characterization.
Sybiha said he has been communicating with his South Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, as both sides work through the disagreement.
“I would not like to call this an incident,” Sybiha told reporters, characterizing the matter instead as a diplomatic misunderstanding. He said Ukraine wants continued momentum and concrete results in its relationship with South Korea.
The two North Korean soldiers were among thousands of North Korean troops sent to Russia to assist Moscow. North Korea and Russia have strengthened their military relationship through a strategic partnership that includes a mutual defense agreement.
Ukraine has said that thousands of North Korean troops remain in Russia, while additional personnel are being prepared for possible future deployment. The presence of North Korean forces on the battlefield has become a significant issue in the broader security relationship between Europe and East Asia.
South Korea has also been involved in discussions concerning the fate of the captured soldiers because of its legal and humanitarian framework for North Koreans who seek protection and resettlement in the South.
The soldiers had reportedly expressed a desire to go to South Korea after being captured. Seoul had previously indicated that it was prepared to receive them if they chose to resettle there.
Despite the disagreement, diplomatic communication between Ukraine and South Korea remains ongoing. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said the two sides are continuing discussions and that Seoul expects Kyiv to convey its position on the matter.
The dispute comes as South Korea maintains broader involvement in the international response to Russia’s war in Ukraine while also dealing with the growing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
For Kyiv, resolving the disagreement is important to preserving its relationship with Seoul, while South Korean officials have stressed that sensitive arrangements involving the North Korean prisoners must take account of security, diplomatic and humanitarian considerations.
