Seoul and Kyiv dispute secret agreement on North Korean prisoners of war

South Korea’s presidential administration expressed “deep regret” on September 27 over Ukraine’s denial that an agreement existed to keep secret the transfer of two captured North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, sharpening a diplomatic conflict between the two countries.

Dispute over a confidentiality agreement

South Korea’s presidential senior secretary for public affairs, Song Gi-heon, stated that Seoul “expresses deep regret over Ukraine’s unilateral disclosure of information about the (transfer) and its subsequent false claim that no non-disclosure agreement had been concluded.” He also added that South Korea is considering “additional measures” should they become necessary.

The conflict traces back to September 23, when Volodymyr Zelensky told the UN General Assembly that Ukraine had handed two North Korean servicemen over to South Korea. The soldiers were captured in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025 while fighting alongside Russian forces — the first North Korean servicemen taken alive since Pyongyang entered the conflict in 2024.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung called the disclosure “deeply regrettable,” noting that the two sides had agreed to keep the transfer secret in order to protect the servicemen and their families. Seoul insists that the publicity could endanger the prisoners of war’s lives and complicate diplomatic efforts on the Korean Peninsula.

Ukraine rejects Seoul’s account

Ukraine categorically rejected the South Korean version of events. Zelensky’s communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn wrote on social media:

“There was no such agreement. This is not true. And it would be wrong to conceal exactly where particular prisoners are being sent.” — Dmytro Lytvyn.

The exchange of remarks was prompted by a post from Oksana Torop, media adviser to Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, who criticized Zelensky for revealing information about the prisoner transfer for what she described as a “show” and a “dramatic gesture.” A separate report by NV Ukraine stated that Seoul had been warned in advance that Zelensky might mention the transfer in his speech to the UN General Assembly.

Broader implications

Seoul’s presidential administration accused Ukraine of being the one that had originally insisted on the confidentiality agreement, citing potential domestic political criticism over a missed opportunity to exchange the North Korean prisoners of war for Ukrainian citizens held in Russia.

The administration also criticized a number of domestic politicians — without naming them — for “politicizing” the situation in Ukraine’s favor and called for an end to “baseless lies.”

The prisoner transfer is taking place against the backdrop of South Korea’s efforts to resume dialogue with North Korea, while President Donald Trump has again signaled his readiness for talks with Pyongyang. The deepening rift between Seoul and Kyiv over this incident calls into question the prospects for cooperation between the two countries, which had grown closer after North Korea entered the Russian war.