South Korean and Ukrainian officials are engaged in an escalating diplomatic confrontation centered on the handling of two North Korean military personnel captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025. The men were among thousands of troops deployed by Pyongyang to support Moscow’s military operations. Both prisoners indicated they wished to relocate to South Korea, which views North Korean nationals as its own citizens.
In July, Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and Lee Jae Myung of South Korea reached an understanding to resolve the matter while honoring the soldiers’ autonomous preferences. The two men subsequently arrived in South Korea via an intermediary nation earlier this month. Upon arrival, the individuals typically would undergo questioning by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service before transfer to state resettlement facilities, though classified cases may circumvent standard procedures.
The friction emerged after Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer during remarks to the UN general assembly last week. South Korea’s government contends that Ukraine specifically requested confidentiality regarding the arrangement, citing concerns about potential domestic backlash if the opportunity to exchange the prisoners for larger numbers of Ukrainian captives was foregone. Seoul maintains it honored this request based on considerations including the safety of the transferred individuals, their family members, and broader diplomatic and security factors.
Ukraine’s presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn subsequently denied the existence of any confidentiality accord, asserting on Facebook that no such formal agreement had been established. South Korea’s government characterized this response as incorrect and stated that Ukraine’s actions undermine mutual confidence. On Monday, Seoul’s foreign ministry formally summoned Ukraine’s diplomatic representative and demanded an official apology, with the ministry asserting that a clear agreement regarding confidentiality had been reached, though officials declined to specify whether documentation existed.
The incident has transformed South Korea’s previously measured support for Ukraine into more pronounced criticism. The dispute comes as South Korea has maintained a cautious approach to the conflict, condemning Russia’s 2022 invasion and implementing sanctions while declining to provide direct weapons assistance to Kyiv. The disagreement has prompted some South Korean lawmakers to question the rationale for continued aid, with Democratic party legislator Kim Byung-joo suggesting the government reconsider its assistance package.
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