South Korea and Ukraine Seek Resolution Over North Korean POW Disclosure
The foreign ministers of South Korea and Ukraine are discussing the form of Kyiv’s response after Seoul demanded an explanation and apology over the public disclosure that two North Korean prisoners of war had been transferred to South Korea.
South Korea and Ukraine are working through diplomatic channels to resolve a dispute over Kyiv’s disclosure that two North Korean prisoners of war had been transferred to Seoul, according to a senior South Korean government official.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha have remained in close communication over how Ukraine might respond, including the tone, content and method of any message. Seoul has demanded an official explanation and apology after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the transfer and his office disputed South Korea’s assertion that both sides had agreed to confidentiality.
The South Korean official said the confidentiality arrangement had been in place from the beginning to protect the soldiers and their families, who remain in North Korea. The official added that Seoul wanted to state its position clearly while avoiding broader friction with Ukraine, taking into account Kyiv’s war with Russia and other diplomatic considerations.
The two soldiers were captured in January 2025 while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region and arrived in South Korea in mid-September, South Korean officials said. Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer during an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week.
President Lee Jae Myung has sharply criticized Ukraine’s handling of the matter. He said Kyiv’s denial of a confidentiality agreement had undermined his credibility and warned that South Korea could take additional measures unless Ukraine issued an official apology. Lee also objected to comments by Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s presidential office, about North Korea gaining combat experience from the war and preparing for possible operations in its own region.
Sybiha has described the row as a diplomatic misunderstanding and expressed hope for a quick resolution, according to a Ukrainian news report cited by South Korean media. He also emphasized South Korea’s importance to Ukraine and said he hoped momentum in bilateral cooperation would continue.
The dispute places Seoul in a delicate position. South Korea has supported Ukraine while also treating the transfer of North Korean soldiers as a sensitive issue involving national security, inter-Korean relations and the safety of their relatives. The ongoing ministerial contacts suggest both governments are seeking language that addresses Seoul’s demand without allowing the disagreement to damage the wider relationship.
No final form or timing for Ukraine’s response was announced. The South Korean official said the government hoped to handle the matter appropriately and prevent it from becoming a larger source of friction between the two countries.