South Korean authorities summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to deliver a protest note over President Zelensky's revelation that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, information that was supposed to be confidential.
On Monday, 28 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Park Yoon-joo, South Korea's Deputy Foreign Minister, summoned the acting deputy ambassador of Ukraine in Seoul to formally protest and express "deep regret" over Ukraine's disclosure that it had transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed this information during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting, adding that "it was not easy to capture them alive."
The two North Korean soldiers were captured in Russia's Kursk region early in 2025 and were subject to prolonged negotiations for over a year before being transferred to South Korea at their own request.
This disclosure caused a strong backlash from South Korea, which demanded an apology from Ukraine, stating that the prisoner transfer should have been "kept secret" as agreed, but Ukraine's revelation severely damaged trust between the two countries.
However, the Ukrainian presidential office responded to South Korea's allegations, stating that "there is no agreement between the two countries prohibiting the disclosure of such information."
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said the disclosure was "deeply disappointing," emphasizing that prisoner transfers are a "highly sensitive issue" impacting national security.
Meanwhile, South Korea's opposition criticized President Lee, accusing him of "trying to cover up the prisoner transfer to appease Pyongyang."
The South Korean presidential office explained that the secrecy around the transfer was partly to protect the families of the North Korean soldiers and to prevent Ukraine from being criticized for losing leverage in prisoner exchanges with Russia, calling on Ukraine to apologize for "disclosing false information" when denying any confidentiality agreement.
Ukraine has pressured South Korea to supply "lethal weapons," such as air defense missiles, to help fight Russia, arguing that since North Korea is involved in the war, South Korea cannot remain a mere observer.
While South Korea has expressed sympathy for Ukraine and approved humanitarian aid and non-lethal equipment, including a recent $100 million aid package, it remains committed to its policy of not providing lethal weapons to countries engaged in active war.
Previously, Russia warned it would "respond" if South Korea decided to send weapons to Ukraine, while South Korea seeks to maintain relations with Russia and China to manage North Korea strategically.
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Source:bbc