Presidential Office of South Korea

South Korea's presidential office has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of breaking a confidentiality agreement by disclosing that two North Korean prisoners of war had been transferred to South Korea. The dispute puts a strain on the two countries' cooperation and raises questions about the handling of captured North Korean soldiers.

Relations between South Korea and Ukraine have deteriorated over the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war captured while fighting alongside Russian forces. South Korea's presidential office criticised Ukraine for refusing to guarantee nondisclosure regarding the POWs, a dispute that has opened a rare public rift between the two governments.

South Korea's presidential office has demanded an apology from Ukraine after Kyiv unilaterally disclosed the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war. Seoul said it 'expresses strong regret over Ukraine's unilateral disclosure', indicating the two sides had not agreed on how the sensitive handover of North Korean soldiers captured in the war should be announced. The dispute has drawn attention to how Kyiv handles captured North Korean troops and to the coordination between the two governments.

South Korea's presidential office expressed strong regret on Sunday over Ukraine's denial of an agreement with Seoul not to disclose the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, Yonhap News Agency reported. The dispute centres on whether both sides had agreed to keep the transfer of the POWs confidential, with Kyiv disputing Seoul's account of the arrangement.