A diplomatic dispute has erupted between South Korea and Ukraine after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly announced at the UN General Assembly that Kyiv had transferred two North Korean soldiers, captured fighting for Russia, to South Korea. South Korea's presidential office expressed "strong regret" and demanded an official explanation and apology, asserting that Ukraine violated a confidentiality agreement regarding the transfer. Seoul's First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo summoned Ukraine's charge d'affaires to protest Kyiv's actions, stating that the disclosure without prior consultation, and the subsequent denial of a confidentiality agreement, severely undermine trust and damage bilateral relations.
According to South Korean officials, Kyiv had requested confidentiality due to concerns about potential domestic backlash over losing an opportunity to exchange these individuals for Ukrainian POWs. Seoul agreed to this, considering the safety of the prisoners and diplomatic/security sensitivities. However, Zelenskyy's speech, which occurred without prior notification or detailed consultation with South Korea, revealed the transfer.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung also voiced disappointment on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing that it was mutually agreed to keep the transfer private due to its sensitive nature, which involves security, diplomacy, national defense, and human rights. Ukraine, however, maintains that no formal non-disclosure agreement was in place. The North Korean soldiers, estimated to be among 14,000 to 15,000 North Koreans deployed to support Russia's war efforts, are undergoing questioning and security screening in South Korea before decisions on protection and resettlement are made under relevant laws like the North Korean Defectors Protection and Settlement Support Act.
This diplomatic row risks complicating Ukraine's requests for military aid from South Korea, which has so far refrained from providing lethal weapons due to a domestic ban on militarily aiding countries at war. Analysts also suggest that the public acknowledgment of the North Korean prisoners' return could intensify hostility from North Korea towards Seoul, as Pyongyang uses deployed soldiers for propaganda. South Korea is reviewing further measures in response to Ukraine's actions.
