South Korea seeks apology from Ukraine over treatment of North Korean POWs

Seoul Demands Official Apology from Ukraine Over Disclosed Prisoner Transfer

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly last week. The prisoners were captured by Ukraine in January 2025 and had been held captive since then.

According to Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, Ukraine had previously discussed the prisoners’ transfer with Seoul through various channels and had requested secrecy. However, Kyiv has denied that any confidentiality agreement existed.

Seoul’s government expressed “strong regret” over Ukraine’s unilateral disclosure of the prisoner transfer, stating that it broke a non-disclosure agreement. The president’s office demanded an official apology from Ukraine for the breach.

In his speech, Zelenskyy condemned North Korea’s deployment of troops to support Moscow and stated that he would hand the captured soldiers over to Kim Jong Un in exchange for Ukrainians held captive in Russia. However, human rights groups had urged him to send them to South Korea due to potential risks of punishment faced by the soldiers.

South Korean media reported that the two captured soldiers had wanted to defect to Seoul. Ukraine’s capture of the prisoners marked the first time North Korean soldiers had been taken alive since Pyongyang began aiding Moscow’s war efforts against Ukraine in 2024.

Seoul previously declined to confirm the soldiers’ arrival, citing concerns about their safety and the well-being of family members still in North Korea. However, Zelenskyy’s announcement of the transfer surprised South Korea’s government, leading to a demand for an official apology from Ukraine.

President Lee Jae Myung stated that the issue of repatriating North Korean prisoners of war was “highly sensitive” and expressed regret over Ukraine’s disclosure without sufficient prior consultation. He also noted that the denial of any confidentiality agreement had damaged trust between the two governments and could harm their relations.

Source: Al Jazeera