S. Korea stresses 'clear understanding' with Ukraine over non-disclosure of NK POW transfer

South Korea said Tuesday that it and Ukraine had reached a clear understanding to keep the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul confidential. The foreign ministry pushed back against Kyiv’s denial and said Seoul has demanded an apology and explanation. It also said the issue will not be tied to humanitarian assistance or post-war reconstruction cooperation.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said the confidentiality understanding was reached during consultations at various levels because of the soldiers’ safety and their families.

South Korea summoned Ukraine’s acting ambassador, Andrii Vieshkin, on Monday to lodge a strong objection and seek measures to prevent a repeat.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer in an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week.

A senior ministry official said both North Korean POWs had consistently expressed their intention to come to South Korea during several consular interviews.

Published Sep 29, 2026 5:03 pm KST

North Korean soldiers, who were captured by Ukrainian forces, at a prisoner-of-war camp in Ukraine / Captured from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's X

The foreign ministry said Tuesday that South Korea and Ukraine had reached a "clear understanding" in keeping the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to Seoul confidential, pushing back against Kyiv's denial of such an agreement.

South Korea has demanded an official apology and explanation from Ukraine, accusing it of breaching a non-disclosure agreement over the transfer of the two North Korean POWs to Seoul and later denying that such an agreement existed.

"We understand that the two sides reached a clear understanding during consultations at various levels to keep the matter confidential, given its implications for the safety of the soldiers and their families," ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said at a press briefing.

"The two countries had held close consultations on the issue in a manner consistent with the prisoners' free will, international law and humanitarian principles," he added.

Citing a senior Ukrainian official, the Financial Times reported Monday there had been no agreement at the presidential level to keep the transfer private, though the issue had been discussed at their foreign ministers' meeting in June.

In an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that Kyiv had transferred the two North Korean soldiers, who were captured in January 2025 while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region.

President Lee Jae Myung called the disclosure "very disappointing," saying that the issue is a very sensitive matter that could affect diplomacy and national security and the security environment on the Korean Peninsula.

On Monday, First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo summoned Andrii Vieshkin, Ukraine's acting ambassador to South Korea, to convey Seoul's strong objection and call for measures to prevent a recurrence.

"We have yet to receive an official explanation from the Ukrainian side, but I expect Ukraine to review the matter and convey its position to us through an appropriate channel," the spokesperson Park said.

"Communication channels with Ukraine remain open, and we will continue to engage with the Ukrainian side on various issues going forward," he added.

The spokesperson also made clear that the issue would not be linked to a possible review of South Korea's humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, joint post-war reconstruction efforts or other matters.

"This is a humanitarian issue that is not linked to any other precondition or matter," he said.

Regarding a local media report alleging that the Seoul government had persuaded one of the North Korean POWs to come to South Korea, a senior ministry official said both had consistently expressed their intention to come to South Korea during several consular interviews.

韩国周二表示，韩国与乌克兰已达成明确共识，将两名朝鲜战俘移送首尔一事保密。韩国外交部驳斥了基辅方面的否认，并表示首尔已要求乌克兰道歉并作出解释。韩国方面还表示，此事不会与人道主义援助或战后重建合作挂钩。

外交部发言人朴斗顺表示，为了士兵及其家属的安全，各方经过多方磋商达成了保密谅解。

韩国周一召见乌克兰代理大使安德烈·维什金，提出强烈抗议，并寻求采取措施防止类似事件再次发生。

乌克兰总统泽连斯基上周在纽约联合国大会上发表讲话时透露了这一转移。

一位高级官员表示，这两名朝鲜战俘在多次领事面谈中都明确表示愿意前往韩国。

发布于2026年9月29日下午5:03（韩国标准时间）

被乌克兰军队俘虏的朝鲜士兵，被关押在乌克兰的一个战俘营中 / 图片来自乌克兰总统泽连斯基的 X

韩国外交部周二表示，韩国和乌克兰已就向首尔移交两名朝鲜战俘一事达成“明确共识”，对基辅方面否认存在此类协议的说法予以驳斥。

韩国要求乌克兰就两名朝鲜战俘移送首尔一事正式道歉并作出解释，指责乌克兰违反了保密协议，而乌克兰后来否认存在这样的协议。

“我们了解到，双方在各层级的磋商中达成了明确的共识，鉴于此事关系到士兵及其家人的安全，因此要对此事保密。”国防部发言人朴斗顺在新闻发布会上表示。

他补充说：“两国就此问题进行了密切磋商，磋商方式符合囚犯的自由意志、国际法和人道主义原则。”

据《金融时报》周一援引一位乌克兰高级官员的话说，尽管两国外长在6月份的会议上讨论过这个问题，但总统层面并未就保密移交达成任何协议。

上周，乌克兰总统泽连斯基在纽约联合国大会上发表讲话时透露，基辅方面已将两名朝鲜士兵移交给乌克兰。这两名士兵于 2025 年 1 月在库尔斯克地区为俄罗斯作战时被俘。

李在明总统称这一披露“非常令人失望”，并表示这是一个非常敏感的问题，可能会影响外交、国家安全以及朝鲜半岛的安全环境。

周一，韩国外交部第一副部长朴允珠召见了乌克兰驻韩国代理大使安德烈·维什金，转达首尔的强烈反对，并呼吁采取措施防止此类事件再次发生。

发言人朴先生表示：“我们尚未收到乌克兰方面的正式解释，但我希望乌克兰方面能够重新审视此事，并通过适当渠道向我们传达其立场。”

“我们与乌克兰的沟通渠道仍然畅通，今后我们将继续就各种问题与乌克兰方面进行沟通，”他补充道。

发言人还明确表示，此事与韩国对乌克兰的人道主义援助、战后联合重建工作或其他事项的可能审查无关。

他说：“这是一个人道主义问题，与任何其他前提条件或事项无关。”

针对当地媒体报道称首尔政府已说服一名朝鲜战俘前往韩国一事，一名高级官员表示，两人在多次领事面谈中都始终表达了前往韩国的意愿。