South Korea demands apology from Ukraine over public POW transfer reveal

President Lee Jae Myung’s administration lodged a formal complaint after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly revealed that South Korea had received two North Korean prisoners of war, a detail that had been agreed to remain confidential. The Blue House, via senior presidential secretary Seong Ghi-hong, expressed strong regret and demanded an apology, noting that Ukraine had earlier insisted on secrecy to avoid domestic criticism.

Acting Ukrainian ambassador Andrii Vieshkin was summoned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and both the ruling Democratic Party and opposition People Power Party called for a clear explanation. Lawmakers such as Jeon Eun-su and Kim Byung-joo warned that the breach undermines the humanitarian aid and $100 million assistance South Korea has provided to Kyiv. Analysts suggested the incident could also jeopardise Seoul’s broader diplomatic goals, including inter-Korean dialogue and future military support to Ukraine.