South Korea demands apology from Ukraine over North Korean POW transfer disclosure

Seoul accuses Kyiv of breach

The South Korean government stated that President Zelensky's announcement at the UN General Assembly damaged trust between the two nations. Officials claim Ukraine disclosed the movement of two North Korean soldiers caught fighting for Russia without proper consent. Seoul further accused Kyiv of falsely denying that a non-disclosure agreement existed between the governments.

Secret talks requested silence

Seong Ghi-hong, a senior presidential secretary, noted that Ukraine had repeatedly discussed the transfer through various channels while requesting secrecy. The South Korean side argued that public disclosure could trigger domestic criticism in Kyiv about giving up an exchange opportunity. Seoul agreed to keep the move confidential given security concerns before the information became public.

Government reviews new steps

The presidential office said it is reviewing additional measures on the issue if necessary following the diplomatic incident. This review comes after Ukraine insisted it only stated the fact of the transfer to international bodies. The dispute centers on whether the announcement violated prior understandings regarding the confidentiality of the prisoner exchange.