South Korea Demands Apology From Ukraine After Zelensky Reveals Secret Transfer of North Korean Soldiers

South Korea is demanding an official apology from Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly revealed the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to Seoul, setting off a diplomatic dispute between the two countries.

Zelensky disclosed the transfer during his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23. The two North Korean soldiers had been captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025 after being deployed to support Russian forces in the war against Ukraine.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Ukraine’s disclosure violated a confidentiality agreement between Seoul and Kyiv. Lee said the transfer involved sensitive diplomatic, national security and humanitarian considerations, including potential consequences for the soldiers and their relatives still living in North Korea.

South Korea’s presidential office escalated its criticism Sunday, accusing Ukraine of making a unilateral disclosure and then falsely claiming that no nondisclosure agreement existed. Seoul said the dispute had seriously damaged trust between the two governments and could harm their broader relationship.

South Korean officials said Ukraine had repeatedly discussed the transfer through diplomatic channels and had itself requested that the operation remain confidential. According to Seoul, Ukrainian officials were concerned that disclosure could spark criticism that Kyiv had surrendered an opportunity to exchange the North Koreans for Ukrainian prisoners held by Russia.

Seoul said it agreed to secrecy because of diplomatic and humanitarian concerns, particularly the potential danger to the captured soldiers and their families. The South Korean government had previously declined to confirm publicly that the men had arrived in the country for those same reasons.

Ukraine has disputed South Korea’s account. A Ukrainian presidential official said Seoul had been informed that Zelensky could discuss the transfer and argued that Ukraine revealed only the fact that the soldiers had been sent to South Korea without disclosing sensitive details about how the operation was carried out.

The dispute intensified Monday when South Korea’s Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine’s acting ambassador, Andrii Vieshkin. First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo formally protested Kyiv’s disclosure and demanded an official explanation and apology, while the Ukrainian envoy said he would communicate Seoul’s position to his government.

The two North Korean soldiers had previously expressed a desire to resettle in South Korea rather than return to North Korea. South Korea has maintained that North Korean defectors are eligible to settle in the South, and Seoul had urged Ukraine not to send the captured soldiers back to Pyongyang, where officials feared they could face severe punishment.

North Korea began sending thousands of troops to assist Russia in 2024, expanding Pyongyang’s involvement in the conflict beyond weapons and ammunition shipments. The two soldiers at the center of the dispute were among the first North Korean troops captured alive by Ukrainian forces after their deployment.

The controversy now threatens to complicate relations between Seoul and Kyiv at a sensitive moment. South Korean officials say they are considering additional measures and have warned that Ukraine’s handling of the disclosure could affect friendly ties between the countries, while Kyiv continues to dispute Seoul’s characterization of their confidentiality arrangement.