South Korea demands apology from Kyiv after disclosure over prisoners of war
Seoul says Ukraine breached a confidential agreement concerning two North Korean prisoners of war.
Follow-up to: South Korea threatens Ukraine with further measures Friday, 2 October 2026, 05:57
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South Korea is demanding an apology from Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that two North Korean prisoners of war had been transferred to South Korea. Seoul says the transfer was meant to remain confidential; Kyiv disputes that such an agreement existed.
The South Korean government has formally requested an explanation and an apology, according to the AP news agency. The request follows Zelenskyy’s announcement during an address to the United Nations that two North Korean soldiers captured in the war in Ukraine were now residing in South Korea.
The two soldiers are said to have arrived in South Korea in mid-September. According to South Korean parliamentarians briefed by the intelligence service, they are not in a serious health condition. Their arrival was initially not made public, partly out of fear of possible consequences for family members in North Korea.
The dispute mainly concerns what Kyiv and Seoul agreed beforehand. South Korea says it repeatedly asked for the transfer not to be made public. According to Reuters, Ukraine has disputed that a binding confidentiality agreement existed. At the time of publication, no Ukrainian response to the demand for an apology was known.
The issue also touches on the broader diplomatic relationship. According to Western governments, North Korean soldiers are fighting on the Russian side in the war against Ukraine. For South Korea, receiving North Koreans is also a domestic and security matter: the state must determine how their protection, questioning and possible integration with South Korean institutions are to be arranged.
Zelenskyy previously said the soldiers might be used in negotiations over Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia. South Korea, by contrast, wanted to receive them as defectors. Little has yet been independently confirmed publicly about the precise circumstances of their capture, the transfer and the wishes of the two soldiers.
The case shows how the war in Ukraine and tensions on the Korean peninsula intersect. As long as Kyiv and Seoul remain divided over the confidentiality of the transfer, the issue could make it more difficult for South Korea to remain politically willing to provide further support to Ukraine.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Two North Korean prisoners of war have been brought to South Korea.
- South Korea is demanding an explanation and an apology from Ukraine.
- The two countries contradict each other over confidentiality.
- According to South Korean parliamentarians, the soldiers are not seriously ill.
Left
Arguments Emphasises that the protection and agency of the prisoners of war must come first, and that military interests must not take precedence over human rights.
Values Human rights, refugee protection and international legal norms.
Consequences Fears that public diplomatic pressure could endanger the soldiers and their family members in North Korea.
Centre
Arguments Wants the facts about the transfer and the agreements made to be established independently, and seeks a diplomatic solution without undermining support for Ukraine.
Values Institutional diligence, reliability among allies and proportionality.
Consequences Emphasises that a formal explanation or restoration of trust may be needed before further cooperation can proceed smoothly.
Right
Arguments Emphasises state security, confidentiality and South Korea’s right to decide for itself how to receive North Korean defectors.
Values National sovereignty, deterrence and reliability between states.
Consequences Fears that making sensitive agreements public could complicate future intelligence and security operations.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core facts have been confirmed by AP and Reuters. The precise content of the alleged confidentiality agreement and Kyiv’s motives remain disputed or unclear.
- confirmed Two North Korean prisoners of war have been transferred to South Korea. — Reported by AP and Reuters on the basis of South Korean government information. source
- confirmed South Korea has asked Ukraine for an apology. — Reported by Reuters and AP. source
- confirmed The two soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September. — AP quotes South Korean parliamentarians who were briefed about this by the intelligence service. source
- confirmed Kyiv and Seoul disagree over a confidentiality agreement. — Reuters reports the South Korean accusation and the Ukrainian denial. source
Editor's note
The transfer and arrival in South Korea have been reported by AP and Reuters. The two governments contradict each other over a confidentiality agreement; little has been made public about the prisoners’ personal statements.Sources
- Seoul demands an apology after Zelenskyy reveals North Korean POWs were sent to South Korea — Associated Press
- South Korea demands apology from Ukraine over disclosure of North Korean POW transfer — Reuters via Investing.com
The story so far
- Friday, 2 October 2026, 05:57 South Korea threatens Ukraine with further measures
- Friday, 2 October 2026, 07:02 South Korea demands apology from Kyiv after disclosure over prisoners of war (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „zuid-korea oekraïne”
- De Telegraaf — „zuid-korea oekraïne”
- AD — „zuid-korea oekraïne”