The Korean Government formally requested an apology from President Zelensky of Ukraine to Kiev for the disclosure of the transfer of Korean prisoners of war at the United Nations General Assembly and indicated that it was "considering additional measures that could be taken if necessary". This diplomatic dispute stems from Ukraine's disclosure at the United Nations General Assembly on 23 September — the announcement by Zelensky that Ukraine had handed over two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea — and the revelation that one of them had attempted to commit suicide and found himself in shock. The President of the Republic of Korea, Lee, who was visiting Mexico at the time, responded strongly to UCPN practices through social media when he returned home, stating that the matter was “deeply regrettable” and accusing the UCPN of violating the previously confidential consensus between the two sides.
In January 2025, the Ukrainian army captured two Korean soldiers in the Russian Kursk region. Since then, according to Korean media reports, the two prisoners of war have expressed their wish to go to Korea and negotiations have begun between Kiev and Seoul on their subsequent disposition. Since March 2026, the parties have held consultations on the transfer of prisoners of war. In mid-September 2026, two Korean prisoners of war arrived in Korea. The transfer process was conducted in a special emissary, closed session and ministerial coordination, as described by the Korean side, with the core condition being that it be closed. On 27 September, the Secretary of the High Communiqué of the Office of the President of the Republic of Korea, Sung Ki-hoon, stated that the Ukrainian side "has consistently requested that the matter of the transfer be treated as confidential and that the Korean side has agreed not to disclose it and has advanced the transfer process on the basis of the security, diplomatic and security considerations of the prisoners themselves and their families".
The debate focused on the existence of confidentiality agreements. On 24 September, President Lee of Korea stated in social media that Seoul and Kiev had reached a confidentiality agreement after "considering the issues that might arise from disclosure" and that the decision was "reasonable and justified". He wrote, "I don't know what kind of violation of the agreement and disclosure of information by the U.S. is, however, deeply regrettable." Lee also harshly stated that "persons who endanger the lives, national interests and security of others for personal gain are known as murderers or traitors" and are targeted at the U.S. side.
The Ukrainian side denied it. President Zelensky's press adviser, Demitro Litvin, responded on 26 September that "there is no such agreement, it is not true." He also said, "It is wrong to conceal the whereabouts of a particular prisoner of war." Litvin's response was to a social media post by former journalist Oksana Toorop, adviser to the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom. The response of the Office of the President of Ukraine to the allegations made by the Korean side was modest, stating that the transfer itself had been made public without the details, and that it was "unusual to keep the matter confidential".
The Government explained that the primary reason for confidentiality was the security of the prisoners themselves. These North Korean soldiers fall under Seoul's control, and their identity and the disclosure of information on their transfer could put them at risk - In particular, their families remain in the DPRK. The Office of the President of the Republic of Korea stated that the statement of the Ukrainian side denying the existence of the agreement was "false" and considered that it seriously undermined the friendly relations between the two countries. Korea also warned that "additional measures" would be considered where necessary, but had not yet specified their content.
Professor Park Won-kwon, University of Seoul, stated that the disclosure in Kiev could raise concerns about Seoul ' s hostility towards Pyongyang, namely that the information might be used by the DPRK to heighten tension on the peninsula.
When Lee Ming was visiting Mexico when he delivered a United Nations speech in Zelensky, the domestic opposition put pressure on Korean nationals to know about their own prisoners of war. Lee explained that Seoul and Kiev agreed to remain silent because the issue "has a tremendous impact on the situation on the Korean peninsula". He stressed that "in matters of such great importance as human life and national security, we cannot be so cruel and irresponsible".
At the same time, the opposition to the Korean Congress has raised questions about the role of the defence sector in related incidents, with one focus on a mine explosion and the response of the Ministry of Defence.
The Korean Government has formally requested an apology from Ukraine, but has yet to receive an official response from Ukraine. Seoul indicated that "additional measures" were being evaluated and the details were not published. The Ukrainian side maintained its denial of the existence of confidentiality agreements and considered that it was not inappropriate to disclose the whereabouts of prisoners of war. The central contradiction in this dispute is that the Korean side believes that there is a consensus between the two sides and that the U side has broken its commitments, while the U side maintains that no agreement has ever been reached. At present, two Korean prisoners of war have arrived in Korea and their subsequent relocation and legal status remain to be observed. The situation on the peninsula has added new uncertainty to this event - – Whether the disclosure of information will be interpreted as provocative by Pyongyang will be a key variable for the parties to assess next.