S. Korea voices 'strong regret' over Ukraine's denial of nondisclosure pact on NK POWs

South Korea’s presidential office voiced strong regret over Ukraine’s denial of a nondisclosure pact on the transfer of two North Korean POWs to South Korea on Sunday. It said Ukraine had unilaterally disclosed the transfer and then falsely denied the agreement. Seoul said it may consider additional measures if needed.

Seong Ghi-hong said the presidential office views Ukraine’s later denial of the nondisclosure agreement as false and damaging to bilateral trust.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer during a United Nations address last week.

South Korea said the confidentiality request was tied to the safety of the POWs and their families, as well as diplomatic and security issues.

The presidential office said some domestic individuals had politicized the sensitive security issue in favor of Ukraine.

Published Sep 28, 2026 7:43 am KST

Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul / Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seog

The South Korean presidential office on Sunday voiced "strong regret" over what it called Ukraine's denial of an agreement with Seoul not to disclose the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea.

The presidential office "expresses strong regret over Ukraine's unilateral disclosure (of the transfer) and its subsequent false announcement that there had not been a nondisclosure agreement," Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, said in a released statement.

The Cheong Wa Dae official added the country is considering taking additional measures regarding the issue, if necessary.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed during a United Nations address last week that Ukraine has sent the two North Korean soldiers captured last year to South Korea.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his office have since said Ukraine breached a nondisclosure agreement aimed at keeping the transfer a secret to safeguard the soldiers from dangers they could face if their transfer were to be disclosed, citing international law and humanitarian principles.

Soon after, Ukrainian media outlets reported a Ukrainian presidential source as denying the existence of a confidentiality agreement with Seoul.

The presidential office, in particular, pointed to the Ukrainian presidential office's "false" denial of the confidentiality agreement made after Lee's disclosure of the bilateral agreement, saying this "seriously hampers" bilateral trust and causes serious disruptions to bilateral friendship.

Seoul said the Ukrainian government had demanded confidentiality on the transfer, citing potential domestic criticism over giving up the chance to exchange the North Korean POWs for Ukrainian POWs.

South Korea agreed to keep the transfer confidential in consideration of the safety of the POWs and their families, as well as other diplomatic and security issues, Seong explained, claiming that Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer without prior explanation or consultation despite the mutual agreement.

The South Korean presidential official also voiced "deep regret" over some domestic individuals who, the pesidential secretary said, politicized the "sensitive security issue" in favor of Ukraine.

Seong said politicizing the issue damages national interest, calling for an end to the spread of unfounded falsehoods.

韩国总统府周日对乌克兰否认此前就两名朝鲜战俘移交韩国一事签署的保密协议表示强烈遗憾。总统府称，乌克兰单方面披露了移交事宜，随后又否认了该协议。首尔方面表示，如有必要，可能会考虑采取进一步措施。

成基洪表示，总统府认为乌克兰后来否认保密协议是虚假的，损害了双边信任。

乌克兰总统泽连斯基上周在联合国发表讲话时透露了这一消息。

韩国方面表示，保密要求与战俘及其家人的安全以及外交和安全问题有关。

总统办公室表示，一些国内人士将敏感的安全问题政治化，以维护乌克兰的利益。

发布于2026年9月28日 上午7:43（韩国标准时间）

首尔市中心青瓦台 / 《韩国时报》王泰锡摄

韩国总统府周日对乌克兰否认与首尔达成不披露向韩国移交两名朝鲜战俘的协议表示“强烈遗憾”。

总统府公共关系高级秘书成基洪在一份声明中表示：“总统府对乌克兰单方面披露（资金转移）以及随后错误地宣布不存在保密协议表示强烈遗憾。”

青瓦台官员补充说，如有必要，韩国正在考虑就此问题采取进一步措施。

乌克兰总统泽连斯基上周在联合国发表讲话时透露，乌克兰已将去年俘获的两名朝鲜士兵送往韩国。

韩国总统李在明及其办公室随后表示，乌克兰违反了旨在保密此次移交行动的保密协议，以保护士兵免受移交行动泄露后可能面临的危险，并援引了国际法和人道主义原则。

不久之后，乌克兰媒体援引乌克兰总统府消息人士的话报道称，该消息人士否认与首尔存在保密协议。

总统办公室特别指出，在李披露双边协议后，乌克兰总统办公室“错误地”否认了保密协议的存在，称这“严重阻碍”了双边信任，并对双边友谊造成了严重破坏。

首尔方面表示，乌克兰政府要求对此次移交保密，理由是放弃用朝鲜战俘交换乌克兰战俘的机会可能会招致国内批评。

成解释说，考虑到战俘及其家属的安全以及其他外交和安全问题，韩国同意对移交事宜保密，并声称泽连斯基在没有事先解释或协商的情况下，违反了双方的协议，泄露了移交事宜。

韩国总统府官员还对一些国内人士表示“深切遗憾”，总统府秘书称这些人将“敏感的安全问题”政治化，以偏袒乌克兰。

成表示，将这个问题政治化会损害国家利益，呼吁停止传播毫无根据的谎言。