Lee says Ukraine disclosed transfer of 2 N.K. soldiers in breach of non-disclosure agreement

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MEXICO CITY, Sept. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday expressed regret that Ukraine has disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea, calling it a breach of a non-disclosure agreement.

The South Korean president made the remarks in a post on his X account, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine recently sent the two North Korean soldiers to South Korea in his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Later in the day, the Ukrainian presidential office said the transfer of the two North Korean prisoners to South Korea was carried out through direct dialogue with Seoul.

"(Ukraine) disclosed the transfer in breach of a non-disclosure agreement," Lee wrote. "I don't know the reasons (for the disclosure), but I regret it."

Lee said the issue is a very sensitive matter that could immensely affect diplomacy and national security, as well as the security environment on the Korean Peninsula, adding that South Korea and Ukraine had agreed to a confidential transfer of the North Korean soldiers, in consideration of the many problems expected if the transfer were disclosed.

Lee also addressed opposition parties' criticism over the confidentiality agreement, saying it would be "cruel and irresponsible" to disclose the transfer regardless of how it would affect inter-Korean ties or whether it could lead to someone's death or hamper national interests.

The president expressed hope that inhumane wars, in which innocent people are killed or injured, would end as soon as possible.

The two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025 after being deployed to Russia's Kursk region along with thousands of other North Korean troops in support of Moscow's war against Ukraine.

The two earlier expressed their desire to come to South Korea, and South Korea and Ukraine had since been discussing their transfer.

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during the Korea Investment Summit 2026 in New York on Sept. 23, 2026. (Yonhap)

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Lee says Ukraine disclosed transfer of 2 N.K. soldiers in breach of non-disclosure agreement

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墨西哥城，9月24日（韩联社）——韩国总统李在明周四对乌克兰披露向韩国移交两名朝鲜战俘一事表示遗憾，称此举违反了保密协议。

韩国总统在其X账号上发表上述言论的前一天，乌克兰总统泽连斯基在纽约联合国大会上发表讲话称，乌克兰最近向韩国派遣了两名朝鲜士兵。

当天晚些时候，乌克兰总统办公室表示，两名朝鲜囚犯被移送至韩国是通过与首尔的直接对话进行的。

李写道：“（乌克兰）违反保密协议披露了这笔转账。我不知道（披露的）原因，但我对此感到遗憾。”

李表示，这是一个非常敏感的问题，可能会对外交和国家安全以及朝鲜半岛的安全环境产生巨大影响。他还补充说，考虑到如果移交行动公开可能会引发诸多问题，韩国和乌克兰已同意秘密移交朝鲜士兵。

李还回应了反对党对保密协议的批评，称无论披露此次转移会对朝韩关系产生何种影响，或者是否会导致人员死亡或损害国家利益，都是“残酷和不负责任的”。

总统表示希望造成无辜民众伤亡的非人道战争能够尽快结束。

2025年1月，两名朝鲜士兵被乌克兰军队俘虏。此前，他们与其他数千名朝鲜士兵一起被部署到俄罗斯库尔斯克地区，以支持莫斯科对乌克兰的战争。

两人此前曾表达过前往韩国的意愿，韩国和乌克兰也一直在讨论他们的转会事宜。

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李表示，乌克兰违反保密协议，泄露了2名朝鲜士兵的转移信息。