Seoul quarreled with Kyiv over North Korean prisoners of war

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated that Ukraine violated an agreement on non-disclosure of information. According to him, the issue of transferring North Korean prisoners is very sensitive from the standpoint of diplomacy, national security, and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

The Ukrainian side denies this. Presidential advisor Dmytro Litvin stated on social media that there was no agreement to keep silent about the transfer of prisoners. According to him, it would be wrong to hide information about where the prisoners are being sent.

Two servicemen from North Korea were captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025 during an operation in the Kursk region. Initially, Zelenskyy reported that they were wounded, were held by the SBU, and received medical assistance. One of them stated during interrogation that he allegedly came to Russia for training, not to participate in the war against Ukraine.

South Korean intelligence later confirmed the capture of two North Korean servicemen. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga stated that they were regular DPRK army servicemen, not mercenaries. Their capture became one of the confirmations of the direct participation of North Korean troops in Russia's war against Ukraine.

On September 23, during his address at the UN General Assembly, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had recently transferred these two prisoners to South Korea. According to him, the servicemen themselves asked to be transferred there because, after being captured, they stated they did not want to return to North Korea. Seoul had also previously reported its readiness to accept them.

Zelenskyy also recounted that one of the North Koreans tried to commit suicide when he realized he had been captured. According to the President of Ukraine, this demonstrates how people's right to choose is limited in North Korea.

Following Zelenskyy's statement, the President of South Korea criticized the public announcement of the transfer. He wrote that the repatriation of North Korean prisoners has serious consequences for diplomacy and security and could affect the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Lee Jae-myung stated that one should not make loud public statements about such sensitive issues merely to demonstrate one's own merits.

The South Korean president also reported that even within the government there were voices for disclosing information about the transfer, as it could contribute to increased political support. However, the authorities, according to him, considered maintaining confidentiality a more balanced decision.

At the same time, the office of the President of South Korea stated that Seoul was aware in advance of Zelenskyy's intention to announce the transfer. Ukraine informed the South Korean side of its plan, but, according to an anonymous administration official, did not specify the form in which this statement would be made.

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