South Korea demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine on September 27, 2026, accusing Kyiv of breaching a confidentiality agreement by disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war and subsequently denying that any such non-disclosure pact ever existed.
Seoul Demands Apology and Explanation From Kyiv Over Prisoner Disclosure
The diplomatic rift between Seoul and Kyiv widened sharply as South Korea’s presidential office issued a stern rebuke regarding two North Korean soldiers captured in Russia’s Kursk region. According to senior South Korean officials, the two nations had engaged in extensive background consultations through multiple channels and reached a shared understanding to keep the repatriation quiet.
“The Ukrainian government had all along requested secrecy, asking that the repatriation be kept confidential, and our side also agreed to nondisclosure and proceeded with the repatriation process, taking into account the safety of the prisoners themselves and their families as well as diplomatic and security considerations,” Sung Ki-hong, senior presidential secretary for public communication, said on the 27th.
Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, stated in a statement released on Sunday: The presidential office expresses strong regret over Ukraine's unilateral disclosure and its subsequent false announcement that there had not been a non-disclosure agreement.
At the time, Kyiv allegedly maintained that going public might provoke domestic backlash over missing a chance to trade the captives for Ukrainian detainees. Taking security and safety concerns into account, South Korea consented to keep the movement under wraps.
That fragile consensus fractured when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly announced the transfer during an address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last week, stating that his country transferred two North Korean POWs to South Korea. Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the disclosure during a speech to the United Nations on Sept. 23, revealing Ukraine had recently sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea
and that one of them had tried to kill himself after being captured.
Conflicting Accounts Emerge Over the Secret Repatriation Pact
The core of the dispute rests on whether an enforceable non-disclosure agreement was ever put in place. While South Korean officials insist the arrangement was ironclad, Ukraine’s subsequent denials triggered the current escalation.
Sunday’s statement from the presidential office asserted that Ukraine’s later denials regarding the existence of any confidentiality pact were untrue, eroded mutual trust, and caused profound friction between the two administrations. Previously on Thursday, a high-ranking South Korean presidential official disclosed that Kyiv had given prior notice that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy intended to bring up the two North Korean prisoners of war, or POWs, during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, despite their earlier pact to keep it confidential.
The Ukrainian side had informed us in advance and sought our understanding,
the Blue House official told reporters.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stated on Sept.
24 that Ukraine violated a non-disclosure agreement by revealing the transfer of captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea.
In a statement posted on social media, Lee expressed regret that Zelenskyy had disclosed the transfer, saying it violated an agreement between Ukraine and South Korea.
It was appropriate in every aspect not to disclose, considering the many problems it may cause when disclosed, and (we) had agreed to do so, Lee said
The issue of repatriating North Korean prisoners of war is a highly sensitive agenda that significantly impacts diplomacy, national security and the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Lee added
Political Fallout and Additional Measures
The public disclosure created immediate diplomatic friction, with Seoul signaling it is reviewing additional measures as necessary.
Seong stated that the government was reviewing additional measures over the issue if necessary, warning that the dispute has damaged trust between the two governments.
Meanwhile, a presidential official also said a swift and thorough investigation is underway
into the recent suspected land mine explosion in the demilitarized zone that injured three South Korean soldiers.
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