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South Korea has demanded an explanation and apology from Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, saying Kyiv violated an agreement to keep the sensitive case confidential.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung criticized the disclosure on the U.S.-based social media platform X, calling the issue "extremely sensitive" because of its implications for diplomacy, national security and the Korean Peninsula.
"I do not know what circumstances led the Ukrainian side to disclose the matter in violation of the non-disclosure agreement, but it is deeply regrettable," Lee said.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine had transferred the two North Korean soldiers, captured while fighting alongside Russian forces, to South Korea.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry said Seoul and Kyiv had agreed to handle the transfer confidentially because it concerned the safety of the soldiers and their families.
Lee said keeping the matter secret was "the most reasonable approach" and criticized making the transfer public without considering possible harm to national security or the prisoners' relatives in North Korea.
South Korea's presidential office also accused Zelenskyy's press office of falsely denying that a confidentiality agreement existed.
Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, said the statement "seriously undermines trust between the two governments and gravely damages friendly relations between the two countries."
The presidential office demanded "an official explanation and apology" and said Seoul was considering additional measures.
South Korea also summoned Ukraine's envoy on Monday, with First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo conveying the government's "serious concerns" over the case.
Zelenskyy's aide Dmytro Lytvyn said the Ukrainian president had not disclosed personal information about the soldiers and argued that Ukraine was an "open country" where a secret transfer would have been unusual.
Ukrainian forces captured the two North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk region in early 2025 after they were deployed to support Russian forces.
Kyiv and Seoul later discussed their transfer under international law and humanitarian principles while taking the soldiers' wishes into account.
Lee and Zelenskyy agreed in July to handle the issue on humanitarian grounds.
One of the prisoners later told South Korean media that he had been conscripted at age 17 and served in a reconnaissance unit. A South Korean lawmaker had previously said the pair wanted to live a "normal life" in South Korea.
The dispute comes as Ukraine seeks military support from partners including South Korea.
Seoul has not supplied lethal weapons to Ukraine, citing a domestic ban on militarily assisting countries at war, but had been considering requests for defensive weapons after North Korea deployed troops to support Russia.
Experts cited in the reports said the disclosure could also raise concerns about retaliation against the prisoners' relatives in North Korea and further strain relations between Seoul and Kyiv.
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