South Korea demands Ukraine apology over North Korean POW transfer disclosure

The short version

• South Korea demanded an official apology from Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly announced the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Deutsche Welle]
• Seoul accused Kyiv of breaching a confidentiality agreement designed to protect the captured soldiers and their families.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Deutsche Welle]
• Ukraine denied that any confidentiality agreement existed regarding the prisoner transfer.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Deutsche Welle]
• The diplomatic dispute threatens bilateral relations as Seoul considers potential countermeasures.[ABC News · Deutsche Welle]

Key facts

• South Korea demanded an official apology after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the transfer of two North Korean POWs to Seoul during a speech at the UN General Assembly.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Deutsche Welle]
• Ukrainian forces captured the two North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Deutsche Welle]
• South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's office accused Ukraine of breaching a non-disclosure agreement and falsely denying its existence.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Deutsche Welle]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• South Korea, Ukraine relations sour over North Korean POW transferAl Jazeera
• Ukraine, South Korea relations sour over North Korean POWsDeutsche Welle
• Seoul demands apology after Zelenskyy reveals North Korean prisoners of war transferABC News - International