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Seoul demands an apology from Kyiv over a secret handover of North Korean captives
September 30, 2026
South Korea is demanding an apology from Ukraine after Zelenskyy used his UN speech to reveal that two captured North Korean soldiers were handed to Seoul.
Thousands of North Korean troops went to help Russia fight Ukraine, while South Korea has declined to arm Kyiv directly during the conflict.
AP News reports that South Korea's spy agency sees Zelenskyy's disclosure as a likely bid to win public support for Ukraine. The two prisoners were North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia, and AP News reports they were among thousands North Korea sent to aid Moscow's war. Zelenskyy revealed the handover in his UN speech last week, which caught Seoul by surprise.
CNN reports that Seong Ghi-hong, speaking for the intelligence side, said Ukraine had raised the transfer with Seoul through several channels and asked that it stay secret, because Kyiv feared criticism at home for giving up a chance to swap the men for Ukrainian prisoners. Lee Jae Myung wrote on X that keeping the matter quiet was appropriate. “I do not know what circumstances led the Ukrainian side to disclose the matter despite the confidentiality agreement, but it is deeply regrettable,” Lee wrote. The Guardian reports that Zelenskyy's adviser Dmytro Lytvyn answered on Facebook that no agreement existed, that Lee's office then called Kyiv's statement “false”, and that the foreign ministry summoned Ukraine's chargé d'affaires on Monday to demand an apology at governmental level. The Guardian also reports that Democratic party lawmaker Kim Byung-joo said there was “no reason or need” to support Ukraine.
The transfer itself and Seoul's demand for an apology are carried by AP News, CNN and The Guardian alike. The existence of a confidentiality agreement is the open point: Seoul asserts one and Kyiv denies it.
Still developing
The ministry, asked whether anything was put in writing, said only that the sides decided to handle it confidentially.
How settled the reporting is
Sources
- Reuters — South Korea says North Korean mines behind DMZ blast violated armistice - AOL.com
- AP News — South Korea says Zelenskyy's revelation of a secret POW transfer was likely a play for more support - Temple Daily Telegram
- CNN — South Korea demands apology from Ukraine over disclosure of North Korean POW transfer
- The Guardian — Why is South Korea so angry with Ukraine over two North Korean prisoners of war?
Toggle read the full reports of all 5 outlets counted on this event.