Foreign ministry calls in Ukrainian envoy in response to Kyiv disclosing transfer of NK POWs

On Monday, South Korea's foreign ministry summoned Andrii Vieshkin, Ukraine's acting ambassador to the country, in response to Kyiv's disclosure of transferring two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to Seoul. Park Yoon-joo, first vice foreign minister of South Korea, informed Vieshkin of Seoul's severe position on the matter, according to a statement from the Korean foreign ministry.

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced during a United Nations address that Ukraine had sent the two North Korean soldiers, captured last year, to South Korea. President Lee Jae Myung and his office subsequently stated that Ukraine had violated a non-disclosure agreement intended to keep the transfer confidential, with the aim of protecting the former soldiers from potential dangers they might face if their relocation became known. This action was defended on the grounds of international law and humanitarian principles.

Following the disclosure, Ukrainian media outlets reported a Ukrainian presidential source denying the existence of the confidentiality agreement with Seoul. Park expressed deep concern over Ukraine's denial of the confidentiality agreement with South Korea, stating that such a move severely undermines mutual trust and affects relations between the two nations.