Parties clash over secret repatriation of North Korean POWs from Ukraine

Ruling and opposition parties clashed over the government’s confidential repatriation of two North Korean POWs from Ukraine. President Lee Jae Myung said Ukraine broke a bilateral agreement by disclosing the transfer, while the PPP questioned why Seoul kept it secret. The DPK defended the move as necessary for the men’s safety and national security.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that the two North Korean prisoners had been transferred, triggering domestic criticism in South Korea.

Lee Jae Myung said Zelenskyy broke a bilateral agreement to keep the transfer confidential.

DPK spokesperson Shin Hyun-young said the government’s priority was to protect the two former North Korean soldiers.

PPP floor leader Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig said the government should explain why it suddenly insisted on secrecy and accused it of fearing to offend Kim Jong-un.

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo said South Korea should have disclosed the repatriation independently rather than appearing overly concerned about antagonizing Pyongyang.

Published Sep 25, 2026 5:10 pm KST

Updated Sep 25, 2026 5:23 pm KST

Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig, center, floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), speaks during the party's meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Ruling and opposition parties clashed over the government’s decision to keep the repatriation of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) from Ukraine confidential. After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the arrangement, the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) questioned whether Seoul had been too concerned about provoking Pyongyang.

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) defended the decision, saying it was necessary to protect the two men and safeguard national security.

President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret over Kyiv’s disclosure, saying Zelenskyy had broken a bilateral agreement to keep the transfer confidential. Lee also criticized opposition politicians for questioning the government's decision, saying those who jeopardize lives and national security for the sake of taking credit are "murderers and traitors."

DPK spokesperson Shin Hyun-young defended the government's approach, saying its priority was to protect the two former North Korean soldiers.

"(President Zelenskyy's disclosure) was an act that betrayed trust between the two countries and was dangerous from a national security perspective," she said.

Shin urged Ukraine to explain the circumstances surrounding the disclosure and cooperate on measures to protect the two men.

"The Lee Jae Myung administration has absolutely no intention of boasting about or politically exploiting the repatriation of the North Korean POWs," she said, warning the PPP not to turn the issue into a political dispute.

“We urge restraint in seeking disclosures that could reveal their identities or protection details, and in raising unfounded suspicions, and call for cooperation to ensure their safety.”

The PPP, however, demanded an explanation for the government's decision to keep the repatriation confidential.

“The repatriation of the North Korean POWs is a matter of timing, but it is right to make it public. Even so, why did the government suddenly insist on keeping it confidential? Was it really that afraid of offending Kim Jong-un?” PPP floor leader Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig said on social media.

He also criticized Lee for using terms such as murderers and traitors against those who questioned the government's handling of the matter, saying the government was begging the North Korean regime for a “false peace.”

Other PPP lawmakers, including Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo and Rep. Kim Yong-tae, also argued Korea should have disclosed the transfer independently rather than appearing overly concerned about antagonizing Pyongyang.

“If we cannot even independently disclose the repatriation of the POWs because we are worried about North Korea, then we are not a country,” Ahn said on social media.

Lee says Ukraine disclosed transfer of 2 NK soldiers in breach of nondisclosure agreement

执政党和反对党就政府秘密从乌克兰遣返两名朝鲜战俘一事发生冲突。总统李在明表示，乌克兰泄露此事违反了双边协议，而人民进步党则质疑首尔为何要对此保密。朝鲜民主主义人民党则辩称，此举是为了保障战俘安全和维护国家安全所必需。

乌克兰总统泽连斯基透露，两名朝鲜囚犯已被转移，这在韩国国内引发了批评。

李在明表示，泽连斯基违反了双边协议，没有对此次人事转移保密。

朝鲜民主主义人民共和国发言人申贤英表示，政府的首要任务是保护这两名前朝鲜士兵。

人民进步党议会党团领袖郑严实议员表示，政府应该解释为什么突然坚持保密，并指责政府害怕得罪金正恩。

安哲洙议员表示，韩国应该独立披露遣返行动，而不是显得过于担心激怒平壤。

发布于2026年9月25日下午5:10（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月25日下午5:23（韩国标准时间）

周二，在首尔国会举行的国民力量党（PPP）党团会议上，主要反对党国民力量党议员郑严实（中）发表讲话。（韩联社）

乌克兰政府决定对两名朝鲜战俘从乌克兰遣返一事保密，此举引发执政党和反对党之间的冲突。乌克兰总统泽连斯基公布这一安排后，主要反对党人民力量党质疑首尔是否过于担心激怒平壤。

韩国执政的共同民主党为这一决定辩护，称此举是为了保护这两名男子并维护国家安全。

李在明总统对基辅方面披露此事表示遗憾，称泽连斯基违反了双边协议中关于保密移交事宜的规定。李在明还批评反对派政客质疑政府的决定，称那些为了邀功而置生命和国家安全于不顾的人是“杀人犯和叛徒”。

朝鲜民主主义人民共和国发言人申贤英为政府的做法辩护，称政府的首要任务是保护这两名前朝鲜士兵。

“（泽连斯基总统的披露）背叛了两国之间的信任，从国家安全角度来看是危险的，”她说。

申敦促乌克兰解释泄露事件的来龙去脉，并就保护这两名男子的措施进行合作。

“李在明政府绝对没有意图炫耀或利用遣返朝鲜战俘进行政治炒作，”她说道，并警告人民进步党不要将此事演变成政治争端。

“我们敦促各方在寻求披露可能泄露他们身份或保护细节的信息时保持克制，不要提出毫无根据的怀疑，并呼吁各方合作以确保他们的安全。”

然而，人民进步党要求政府解释为何要对遣返行动保密。

“遣返朝鲜战俘是时机问题，但公开此事是正确的。即便如此，政府为何突然坚持保密？难道真的那么害怕得罪金正恩吗？”人民进步党党团领袖郑严实议员在社交媒体上表示。

他还批评李在对那些质疑政府处理此事的人使用“杀人犯”和“叛徒”等词语，称政府是在乞求朝鲜政权给予“虚假的和平”。

包括安哲洙议员和金永泰议员在内的其他人民进步党议员也认为，韩国应该独立披露这笔资金转移，而不是显得过于担心激怒平壤。

“如果我们因为担心朝鲜而连战俘遣返的消息都不能独立公布，那我们就不是一个国家了，”安在社交媒体上说道。

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。