In brief
President Lee Jae‑Myung demands an apology from Ukraine after the Ukrainian president publicly disclosed that two North Korean soldiers, who had fought for Russia, had been transferred to South Korea. Kyiv described the incident as a diplomatic misunderstanding, while Seoul argues the disclosure violated an agreement meant to keep the move secret. Lee has accused Ukraine of trying to provoke conflict on the Korean Peninsula and warned of “further action” should an apology not be issued. The spat highlights Seoul’s delicate stance in the Russia‑Ukraine war and its commitment to avoid weapons supply to active conflicts.
Seoul warns Kyiv over POW disclosure
President Lee Jae‑Myung has threatened to take unspecified "further action" if Ukraine refuses to apologise for revealing that two North Korean soldiers have become prisoners of war in the South. The announcement came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the information to the UN General Assembly last week, a move Seoul said was meant to stay secret.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the situation as a "diplomatic misunderstanding" and said Kyiv was working to resolve the issue, a statement Seoul rejected in a post on X. Lee said the matter concerned the dignity of the Korean people and accused Kyiv of attempting to provoke war on the Korean Peninsula.
Lee’s office said Ukraine had requested confidentiality partly to protect the families of the North Koreans and to avoid criticism that it had abandoned a chance to exchange the soldiers for Ukrainian captives. Zelensky’s side argued there was no agreement to keep the move secret, escalating tensions.
The soldiers, who had joined Russia's war effort, had previously expressed a wish to move to South Korea. Lee has faced domestic criticism, with opposition parties accusing him of covering up the transfer to appease Pyongyang.
Seoul has remained supportive of Ukraine since Russia’s full‑scale invasion but continues to uphold its policy of not providing lethal weapons to combatants in active wars.
