South Korea has summoned Ukraine's acting ambassador to express "strong regret" after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly announced the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to Seoul. Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo lodged a formal complaint with Andrii Vieshkin, emphasizing that the transfer was intended to remain confidential.
The two North Koreans, identified as prisoners of war captured in Russia's Kursk Oblast, had reportedly expressed a desire to be sent to South Korea. President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea called Zelensky's disclosure "greatly disappointing," characterizing the transfer as a "highly sensitive issue" impacting national security.
According to Lee's office, the secrecy was partly intended to protect the North Korean soldiers' families. Additionally, Kyiv allegedly wished to avoid criticism for foregoing an opportunity to exchange the soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners of war. Ukraine's foreign ministry declined to comment when approached by the BBC.
The dispute escalated when Zelensky's office reportedly claimed that no non-disclosure agreement existed between the two countries. Seoul subsequently demanded an apology from Ukraine for "announcing a falsehood," asserting that the revelation had significantly damaged trust between the nations.
Kyiv had previously announced the capture of the two North Korean soldiers early in 2025. After more than a year of negotiations, Zelensky revealed their transfer to South Korea during an address at the UN General Assembly, noting they had not been "easy to capture alive." Seoul confirmed the transfer but sharply criticized Zelensky for allegedly breaching an agreement to keep the matter secret.
South Korean domestic politics also saw criticism directed at President Lee, with the opposition accusing him of attempting to appease Pyongyang by downplaying the transfer. Lee's party favors a conciliatory approach to North Korea and has been working to reopen peace talks.
South Korea has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine but has maintained a policy of not supplying lethal weapons to countries engaged in active conflict. However, following North Korea's deployment of troops to support Russia in 2024, Ukraine increased pressure on Seoul to provide advanced anti-air missiles. A senior advisor to Zelensky argued that South Korea's security interests were linked to containing an "aggressive totalitarian axis" by providing defense technologies.
In July, Seoul announced a $100 million assistance package for Ukraine, expanding upon previous non-lethal aid. Russia has warned of unspecified retaliation should South Korea provide arms to Ukraine.