South Korea’s presidential office asks Kyiv for explanations and an apology after the disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners to Seoul

South Korea’s presidency demanded explanations and an official apology from Kyiv on Sunday after Ukraine made public the transfer to Seoul of two North Korean prisoners of war captured in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Seoul claims that the disclosure violated a confidentiality agreement and undermines trust between the two governments.

The information was presented on Thursday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a speech delivered at the UN. He said that the North Korean soldiers had been captured alive, describing this as difficult: “it was not easy to capture them alive.”

Dmytro Lytvyn, an adviser to the Ukrainian leader, later stated that Ukraine is “an open country” and that it would have been unusual for the transfer to take place in secret.

Seong Ghi-hong, the South Korean presidential secretary for public relations, said that the unilateral disclosure of the information represents “a very serious matter.” He also criticized the statement by the Ukrainian presidency’s press service claiming that there had been no confidentiality agreement. The Blue House, South Korea’s presidency, is also considering possible additional measures.

The two North Korean servicemen were captured by Ukraine in January 2025, after North Korean troops were deployed in support of Russia. In a letter addressed to a South Korean NGO, they expressed their desire to live a normal life in South Korea. The South Korean Constitution considers all Koreans, including those from the North, to be citizens of the country.