South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has warned that Seoul could take further measures against Ukraine unless Kyiv publicly apologises for disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.
The diplomatic dispute began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed during his address to the UN General Assembly last week that two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia had been transferred to South Korea.
Seoul has said the transfer was supposed to remain confidential, partly to protect the soldiers and their families. South Korea also argues that confidentiality was important because public disclosure could have complicated Ukraine’s efforts to negotiate prisoner exchanges with Russia. Lee said Ukraine’s subsequent denial that a confidentiality agreement existed had made him appear dishonest.
“If Ukraine continues to refuse to acknowledge the facts and publicly apologise, we will take further measures,” Lee said in a post on X.
He also rejected Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha’s description of the dispute as a “diplomatic misunderstanding”, saying the issue concerned the dignity of South Korea and its people. Sybiha said on Thursday that Kyiv wanted to resolve the disagreement and stressed the importance of South Korea to Ukraine. “We are working on it,” Sybiha said, adding that he hoped the situation would be resolved soon and that cooperation between the two countries would continue.
The two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025 after being deployed alongside North Korean troops supporting Russia in the war against Ukraine. They later expressed a desire to settle in South Korea.
South Korea treats North Koreans who reach its territory as citizens under its legal framework, while Seoul has also been concerned about possible retaliation against the soldiers’ relatives in North Korea. Lee further criticised Kyiv over comments suggesting a possible military confrontation between North and South Korea, accusing Ukraine of attempting to encourage conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea has supported Ukraine politically and through humanitarian and financial assistance since Russia’s full-scale invasion. However, it has maintained a longstanding policy against supplying lethal weapons to countries engaged in active wars.
