Why South Korea Summoned Ukraine’s Envoy Over North Korean POW Disclosure

South Korea summoned Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires to protest President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s public disclosure that two North Korean prisoners of war had been transferred to Seoul. Seoul says the transfer was meant to remain confidential and has demanded an official explanation and apology. Kyiv disputes that a confidentiality agreement existed. 17188

What happened

Ukraine captured the two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region in 2025, after they had been fighting for Russia. Following months of consultations between Kyiv and Seoul, Zelenskyy announced at the United Nations General Assembly that Ukraine had sent them to South Korea. 32

Seoul’s objection concerns both the disclosure and Ukraine’s later denial that the governments had agreed to keep the transfer secret. South Korea’s presidential office says Ukraine had requested confidentiality and that the disclosure undermined trust between the governments. 118

Seoul and Kyiv give different accounts of confidentiality

South Korea says the two governments agreed not to publicize the transfer because of its sensitivity. Kyiv’s position, as reported, is that there was no such agreement. The available accounts do not independently establish the precise terms of any understanding, so the disagreement remains unresolved publicly. 843

The governments also differ over advance notice. Seoul acknowledged that Ukraine had told it Zelenskyy might mention the prisoners in his UN address. But Seoul says it was not given the wording in advance and had communicated that the matter should not be made public. Notice that a subject might be raised is not the same as agreement to disclose that the transfer had taken place. 3839

What the dispute could mean—and what is not established

Seoul says the disclosure and the subsequent denial have damaged trust. That is the clearest reported consequence so far: a diplomatic protest, a demand for an explanation and apology, and conflicting public accounts of what the governments agreed. 117

The transfer was also sensitive for reasons Seoul has described, including potential risks to the prisoners and concern for their families in North Korea. Public reporting does not establish that the announcement changed the soldiers’ resettlement arrangements or what effect, if any, it will have on them. 820

Nor do the available reports document a change in South Korean weapons-aid policy toward Ukraine or a shift in President Lee Jae Myung’s approach to North Korea as a result of the dispute. Any broader effect on those issues remains uncertain; the confirmed development is the diplomatic disagreement over disclosure and confidentiality. 117