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Seoul summons Ukraine envoy over disclosure of North Korean prisoner transfer

South Korea accuses Zelensky of breaking secrecy agreement on captured soldiers

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time1 min
South Korea has summoned Ukraine's acting ambassador after President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly announced the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to Seoul, breaking what officials say was an agreement to keep the operation secret.

Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo lodged a formal complaint with acting ambassador Andrii Vieshkin and expressed "strong regret" that Zelensky had revealed the transfer at the UN General Assembly last Wednesday, Seoul confirmed on September 28.

President Lee Jae Myung called the disclosure "greatly disappointing" and said the transfer was a "highly sensitive issue" impacting national security.

The two soldiers, captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk Oblast in early 2025, had told local media they wanted to be sent to South Korea. After more than a year of negotiations between Seoul and Kyiv, Zelensky announced the transfer, adding they had not been "easy to capture alive".

President Lee's office said in a statement that part of the reason for secrecy was to protect the North Korean soldiers' families, and noted that Kyiv also wanted the transfer kept secret to avoid criticism.

Ukraine's foreign ministry declined to comment when approached by the BBC.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The dispute risks straining diplomatic relations between Ukraine and South Korea at a time when both countries need allies against Russia and North Korea respectively.
  • Public disclosure of the transfer could endanger the families of the captured soldiers in North Korea, potentially complicating future prisoner exchanges.
  • The incident highlights the sensitive nature of North Korean involvement in the Ukraine war and the challenges of managing such operations discreetly.

Background

South Korea and Ukraine have cooperated since North Korean soldiers were reported fighting alongside Russian forces in the Ukraine war. The two captured soldiers were among thousands of North Koreans deployed to support Russia. Their transfer to Seoul follows more than a year of secret negotiations, reflecting the delicate balance of handling defectors from a regime known for harsh reprisals against the families of those who flee.

Key Perspectives

[South Korean government]: Seoul views the disclosure as a breach of trust and a threat to national security, particularly concerning the safety of the soldiers' families. [Ukrainian government]: Zelensky framed the transfer publicly as a diplomatic success, but Ukraine has not commented on the alleged secrecy agreement. [North Korea]: Pyongyang typically denies its soldiers serve abroad and may view the disclosure as propaganda material; the regime has previously punished the families of defectors.

What to Watch

  • Any formal apology or explanation from Ukraine regarding the alleged breach.
  • Statements from the transferred soldiers and their treatment in South Korea.
  • Whether North Korea responds with diplomatic protests or internal actions against the soldiers' families.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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