South Korea Summons Ukrainian Envoy Over Public Disclosure of North Korean POW Transfer

South Korea called in Ukraine's top diplomat in Seoul on Monday to voice strong objections after Kyiv publicly revealed that two captured North Korean soldiers had been handed over to the South, pressing for an official explanation and an apology for violating an alleged secrecy pact.

Dispute Over Confidentiality

First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo summoned Ukraine's chargé d'affaires, Andrii Vieshkin, to the foreign ministry to convey the administration's stern stance. Park conveyed profound regret over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to announce the soldiers' resettlement during his speech before the United Nations General Assembly, noting the disclosure came without proper prior consultation despite an explicit agreement between both nations to maintain confidentiality.

Park also condemned subsequent remarks from Kyiv that disputed the existence of any non-disclosure pact, labeling the denial untruthful. According to South Korean officials, the dismissal of the agreement severely damaged mutual diplomatic trust, prompting Seoul to urge Ukraine to offer an apology and guarantee such breaches will not recur. Vieshkin reportedly indicated he would relay Seoul's concerns back to his government.

Rising Tensions Between Seoul and Kyiv

The diplomatic confrontation highlights a rare public rift between South Korea and Ukraine regarding two North Korean troops captured during fighting in Russia's Kursk region. Having been deployed to back Moscow's campaign, the soldiers requested to be sent to South Korea upon capture.

Zelenskyy made the transfer public last week in New York, stating that two North Korean prisoners of war had been dispatched to the Republic of Korea. South Korean authorities had initially withheld details, citing security risks to the soldiers and their families remaining in the North, while emphasizing that the matter should be settled through humanitarian channels and international law.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung voiced disappointment online, stating that keeping the operation confidential had been mutually agreed upon given the delicate security and diplomatic considerations. In response, a source within Ukraine's presidential office claimed no such secrecy deal had been made.

South Korean presidential officials rejected that narrative, asserting that Ukraine had originally initiated the request for discretion. According to Seoul, Kyiv officials were concerned that publicizing the transfer might spark domestic criticism that North Korean captives were not being swapped for Ukrainian soldiers held by Russia. The two soldiers represent the first confirmed instances of North Korean troops deployed in the conflict who have been resettled in South Korea.