Tuesday, September 29, 2026 - South Korea has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly disclosed that two North Korean prisoners of war captured while fighting for Russia had been transferred to South Korea.
Seoul says the disclosure violated an understanding between the two governments to keep the transfer confidential, while Kyiv has disputed that such a confidentiality agreement existed.
The two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025 after being deployed to support Russia’s war effort.
South Korean officials say confidentiality was important because of security and humanitarian concerns, including the safety of the prisoners and their relatives in North Korea. Seoul has since summoned Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires and formally demanded an explanation and apology.
The dispute is now putting pressure on relations between Seoul and Kyiv, with South Korea saying the disclosure and Ukraine’s subsequent denial of a confidentiality agreement have damaged trust.
Ukraine has maintained that it simply disclosed the transfer, while South Korean officials insist both sides had clearly agreed to keep the matter private. The immediate focus is now on whether Kyiv will formally respond to Seoul’s demand as the diplomatic dispute continues.
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