South Korea slams Zelensky over North Korean POW disclosure

SEOUL: A sensitive diplomatic issue involving two North Korean prisoners of war has emerged between Ukraine and South Korea after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly revealed that the soldiers had been transferred to South Korea.

The disclosure, made during Zelensky’s address to the United Nations General Assembly, prompted South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to express disappointment, saying the two countries had agreed to keep details of the transfer confidential. Lee said the issue was highly sensitive because public disclosure could create diplomatic and security complications and potentially affect the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Zelensky said Ukraine had recently sent the two North Korean prisoners to the Republic of Korea. The announcement provided the first public confirmation that the transfer had taken place. Seoul had previously declined to disclose operational details, citing concerns over the safety of the prisoners and their families.

How the Two Soldiers Were Captured

The two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025. They were among North Korean personnel deployed to Russia during the war against Ukraine.

According to reports, both men had expressed a desire to go to South Korea rather than return to North Korea. South Korean authorities have maintained that the wishes, safety and human rights of the prisoners should be considered in determining their future.

The issue became particularly sensitive because the soldiers’ identities, movements and transfer arrangements could carry security implications. South Korea therefore avoided confirming details such as the timing and route of their transfer.

Seoul Questions Public Disclosure

President Lee said he did not know why Ukraine had decided to make the transfer public and described the decision as disappointing. He stressed that confidentiality had been agreed upon because disclosure could create difficulties involving diplomacy, national security and the broader situation on the Korean Peninsula.

A South Korean presidential official later said Seoul had been aware through diplomatic channels that Zelensky might mention the prisoners, but there had been no clear advance notification of the contents of his UN speech. The official said the government’s priority remained resolving the matter safely and discreetly while protecting the prisoners and their families.

Ukraine, meanwhile, said the transfer was carried out through direct communication with Seoul and in line with humanitarian principles and international law. Ukrainian officials also indicated that Zelensky’s announcement did not reveal sensitive operational information about the transfer.

The episode has placed an unusual diplomatic spotlight on the fate of North Korean personnel involved in the Russia-Ukraine war, while highlighting the security and humanitarian concerns surrounding prisoners who seek to remain outside North Korea.

For Seoul and Kyiv, the immediate challenge is now to manage the sensitive issue without exposing further information that could endanger the two soldiers or their relatives.