South Korean intel thinks Zelensky leaked North Korean POW transfer to sway arms support

During a United Nations address, President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean prisoners of war, captured while fighting for Moscow, to South Korea, noting the difficulty of the capture. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung condemned the revelation, stressing the importance of secrecy to protect the prisoners' families in North Korea. Seoul summoned Ukraine's envoy, and lawmaker Yoo Yeong-ha said the country's intelligence service suspects Zelensky's timing was meant to rally public support for arms aid to Ukraine.

A second lawmaker, Youn Kun-young, confirmed the POWs arrived in mid-September, are in generally good health, and have repeatedly expressed willingness to remain in South Korea. The foreign ministries of both nations have agreed to handle the issue confidentially, though no explicit leader-level agreement was made. The incident may complicate Ukraine's request for lethal weapons, as South Korea has so far limited assistance to defensive gear amid concerns over North Korea's support for Russia.