South Korea has demanded an official apology and rationalization from Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of revealing the switch of two North Korean prisoners of struggle to Seoul.
Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, stated in a press release on Sunday that the president’s workplace expressed “robust remorse over Ukraine’s unilateral disclosure and its subsequent false announcement that there had not been a non-disclosure settlement”.
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He stated Ukraine had repeatedly mentioned the prisoners’ switch with Seoul by way of numerous channels and had requested secrecy.
Nonetheless, Kyiv has stated no secrecy settlement existed.
Right here’s what we all know:
What occurred?
Talking on the annual United Nations Basic Meeting final week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated Kyiv had transferred two captured North Korean troopers to South Korea after they have been caught combating for Russia within the Kursk area. Ukraine seized massive components of the Russian border area in August 2024 however has since misplaced many of the territory.
“These guys are usually not simple to seize alive. Certainly one of them, when he realised he was going to be taken prisoner, tried to kill himself, and he was shocked that destiny didn’t let him die,” Zelenskyy stated in his speech.
He additionally condemned North Korea’s deployment of troops to help Moscow, saying: “That is insanity too. Why ought to Koreans give their lives in a struggle in opposition to Ukraine? [North Korean leader] Kim Jong Un makes use of them like forex, and he will get one thing in return.”
Zelenskyy stated on the time that he would hand the captured troopers over to Kim if he might facilitate their change for Ukrainians held captive in Russia.
Nonetheless, human rights teams had urged him to ship them to South Korea, referring to doable dangers of punishment that the troopers confronted.
South Korean media additionally reported that the 2 captured troopers had wished to defect to Seoul.
Ukraine captured the 2 North Koreans in January 2025.
They turned the primary North Korean troopers to be captured alive since Pyongyang started in 2024 to assist Moscow’s struggle efforts in opposition to Ukraine. North Korea is estimated to have deployed 1000’s of troopers to help Russia’s struggle in opposition to Ukraine as a part of a mutual defence treaty.
What did South Korea say?
South Korea beforehand declined to substantiate the troopers’ arrival, citing issues about their security and that of their members of the family nonetheless in North Korea.
However Zelenskyy’s choice to announce the switch stunned South Korea’s authorities.
In a publish on X, President Lee Jae Myung stated the difficulty of repatriating North Korean prisoners of struggle was a “extremely delicate agenda”.
“From the angle of those that marketed the repatriation to the entire world with enthusiastic fanfare to point out off their achievements – whatever the affect on inter-Korean relations, the lack of life, or the injury to nationwide pursuits – they doubtless not solely can’t perceive our authorities’s efforts to maintain it confidential however might even marvel if there’s something incorrect with it,” Lee wrote.
“I have no idea the explanations behind Ukraine’s disclosure in violation of the non-disclosure settlement, however it’s deeply regrettable,” he added.
South Korea is technically nonetheless at struggle with North Korea as a result of the 2 opponents within the 1950-1953 Korean Battle signed an armistice in 1953 and never a peace treaty. Hundreds of US troopers are stationed in South Korea, and the 2 allies maintain army workout routines usually, which the North has denounced.
In keeping with Seong’s assertion on Sunday, Zelenskyy disclosed the repatriation with out adequate prior session and later denied that any confidentiality settlement existed.
He added that the denial had significantly broken belief between the 2 governments and will hurt their relations.
On the identical time, opposition politicians have condemned Lee’s authorities for failing to reveal the switch.
Final week, opposition politician Ahn Cheol-soo of the Individuals Energy Get together requested on social media whether or not it was “truthful” that the Korean public realized about North Korean POWs within the nation by way of Zelenskyy.
“President Lee, why did you cover it? Does North Korea have one thing that, if disclosed, would finish your political profession? Or have been you planning to ship the POWs again to North Korea?” Ahn requested.
What number of North Korean troopers are combating in Ukraine?
In keeping with Ukrainian and South Korean estimates, about 14,000 to fifteen,000 North Korean troopers have been despatched to help Russia’s struggle efforts, and most have been deployed to Russia’s Kursk area to fend off a Ukrainian incursion.
As a detailed Russian ally, Pyongyang has additionally provided Moscow with weapons, together with artillery and mortar rounds, ballistic missiles, long-range artillery methods and multiple-launch rocket methods, in keeping with Ukrainian and impartial assessments.
What occurs to the troopers now?
The troopers are anticipated to bear questioning and safety screening earlier than South Korean authorities determine whether or not to grant them safety and start resettlement.
On Monday, Seoul’s Ministry of Unification stated it will assessment their circumstances underneath related legal guidelines and previous practices, together with the North Korean Defectors Safety and Settlement Assist Act.
The ministry’s objective is to unify the 2 Koreas, which have been partitioned shortly earlier than the 1950-1953 struggle. Pyongyang opposes reunification.
Below the legislation, the Nationwide Intelligence Service investigates candidates in momentary protecting custody,
Yu Yong-weon, an opposition lawmaker who met the troopers in Ukraine in February 2025, stated they served in North Korea’s particular forces and will present info on Pyongyang’s coaching, army capabilities and participation within the struggle.
