South Korea, Ukraine relations sour over North Korean POW transfer
South Korea's presidential office criticised Ukraine for publicly announcing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to Seoul, saying the disclosure violated a nondisclosure agreement meant to protect the soldiers. Ukraine's presidential office denied that a confidentiality pact existed, prompting Seoul to warn the denial damages bilateral trust and could prompt further measures.
Why It Matters
The dispute strains cooperation between Seoul and Kyiv on handling North Korean POWs, a politically sensitive issue tied to international law and humanitarian protections. It also intersects with wider diplomatic efforts involving North Korea, including South Korea's outreach and US engagement with Pyongyang.
Key Facts
- Parties involved: South Korea and Ukraine
- Issue: Public disclosure of transfer of two North Korean POWs
- South Korea's response: Presidential office expressed "strong regret" and called Ukraine's denial of a nondisclosure agreement "false" (quoted via Yonhap)
- Ukraine's stance: Ukrainian presidential office said it disclosed the transfer without extensive details and a Ukrainian presidential source reportedly denied a confidentiality agreement (reported by Yonhap)
- When captured: Ukrainian forces captured the two North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025
South Korea's presidential office has publicly rebuked Ukraine for announcing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul and for denying the existence of a nondisclosure agreement that Seoul says governed the move. Seong Ghi-hong, the senior presidential secretary for public relations, told Yonhap the South Korean government "expresses strong regret" over what it called Ukraine's unilateral disclosure and a subsequent "false announcement" denying the confidentiality pact.
Seoul says the nondisclosure agreement was intended to shield the transferred soldiers from risks they could face if the transfer became public, citing international law and humanitarian principles. Ukrainian officials, according to Yonhap reporting, said Kyiv disclosed the transfer without providing detailed operational information and argued that keeping the entire transfer secret would have been unusual. A Ukrainian presidential source was reported to have denied that any confidentiality agreement existed between the two countries.
South Korea warned that Ukraine's denial of the alleged agreement "seriously hampers" bilateral trust and disrupts the friendship between the governments, and Seoul said it was considering additional measures if necessary. The two transferred soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025, and South Korean media reported they had expressed a desire to defect to South Korea.
The POW issue has featured in recent diplomacy between the countries: leaders discussed North Korean prisoners during a NATO summit meeting in Ankara where President Lee Jae Myung met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and foreign ministers from both countries earlier pledged cooperation on POW status. Separately, South Korean intelligence estimates that roughly 14,000–15,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to support Russia since 2024, with officials reporting heavy North Korean casualties in the fighting.
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