The South Korean government has summoned Ukraine’s acting ambassador, Andrii Vieshkin, to lodge a formal complaint regarding the public disclosure of a sensitive prisoner transfer. Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo expressed “strong regret” after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that two North Korean soldiers, captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk Oblast, had been moved to Seoul.
South Korean officials stated that the transfer was intended to remain confidential to protect the families of the soldiers and to prevent criticism regarding Ukraine’s decision to forgo a potential prisoner exchange. President Lee Jae Myung described the disclosure as “greatly disappointing,” noting that the matter involves significant national security concerns. While Seoul acknowledged that Ukraine had indicated the soldiers might be mentioned during Zelensky's UN General Assembly address, they maintained that the transfer itself was not to be revealed.
The situation has created a diplomatic rift, with the office of President Lee demanding an apology from Kyiv for what it termed an “announcement of a falsehood.” Conversely, the office of President Zelensky has denied the existence of a non-disclosure agreement regarding the soldiers. Domestically, President Lee has faced criticism from opposition parties, who accused his administration of attempting to conceal the transfer to avoid upsetting Pyongyang.
The incident occurs against the backdrop of shifting geopolitical tensions. While South Korea has provided non-lethal aid to Ukraine, it has maintained a policy against supplying lethal weaponry to active conflict zones. However, pressure from Kyiv has increased since the deployment of North Korean troops to support Russia, with Ukrainian officials arguing that South Korean military support is essential for regional and global security. Russia has warned of potential retaliation should South Korea choose to provide arms to Ukraine.
Source: BBC News
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