South Korea has accused Zelenskyy of revealing secret operation to hand over DPRK prisoners of war
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung expressed regret that Ukraine had publicly announced the handover of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul. He described this as a breach of the non-disclosure agreement. Volodymyr Zelenskyy had announced this the previous day at the UN General Assembly.
This was reported by The Korea Times, according to Censor.NET.
The South Korean president’s accusation
"Given the numerous problems that the disclosure of this information could cause, it was appropriate in all respects not to disclose it. We had agreed on this. Ukraine disclosed the handover, breaching the non-disclosure agreement. I do not know the reasons, but I regret this," Lee wrote.
This statement marked the first official confirmation of the handover from Seoul.
The South Korean President explained that the issue is highly sensitive — it could seriously affect diplomacy, national security and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. It was precisely because of these risks that Seoul and Kyiv agreed to the transfer of military personnel without public disclosure.
Ukraine’s position
In response to an enquiry from the Yonhap news agency, the Office of the President of Ukraine stated that it had only disclosed the fact of the transfer, without providing details of the process. According to Kyiv, it would have been strange to keep the entire operation secret.
Back on Wednesday, immediately after Zelenskyy’s speech, the Office clarified that the handover had taken place through direct dialogue with Seoul.
Response to criticism from the opposition
Lee Je-myung also commented on the opposition parties’ criticism of the confidentiality agreement, stating that it would be "cruel and irresponsible" to publicise the handover, regardless of how it might affect inter-Korean relations, whether it could lead to someone’s death, or whether it might harm national interests. He expressed the hope that inhumane wars, in which innocent people die or suffer, would end as soon as possible.
Background
Seoul and Kyiv discussed a possible handover after both prisoners expressed a desire to move to South Korea — their written requests to this effect were reported as far back as December 2025.
Under the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, residents of the North are citizens of the country, so Seoul is obliged to accept them on its territory if they so wish. Until now, the government had refused to confirm the arrival of the soldiers, citing a threat to the safety and lives of the prisoners themselves and their families, who remain in the DPRK.
Background
- Zelenskyy announced the handover of the prisoners during his address to the UN General Assembly on 23 September.
- In December 2025, two North Korean soldiers, who had been captured by Ukrainian defenders during combat operations, wrote a letter requesting permission to travel to South Korea.
- It should be recalled that on 11 January 2025, it emerged that the Ukrainian military had captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
