CNA Explains: Why is South Korea angry with Ukraine over two North Korean POWs?

South Korea has demanded an apology from Ukraine, alleging President Volodymyr Zelenskyy breached a confidentiality agreement by disclosing that Kyiv transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. A diplomatic rift ensued between Seoul and Kyiv over the revelation.

The two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) were captured by Ukraine in January 2025 during the conflict in Russia's Kursk region, marking the first time Ukraine had taken alive soldiers from North Korea. President Zelenskyy initially suggested the soldiers could be handed over to Pyongyang in exchange for Ukrainian soldiers held captive in Russia, yet human rights organizations urged him to avoid repatriating them due to the risks they might face.

The two soldiers subsequently expressed a preference for going to South Korea. Seoul regards North Koreans as their own citizens and had already stated in June its willingness to accept any North Korean POWs who wished to reside in the South.

The dispute is primarily about South Korea's request for the transfer to remain confidential. South Korea's lawmakers and experts argue that disclosing the transfer could jeopardize the soldiers' safety and that of their families, especially in North Korea. Politically, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's administration has been attempting to foster dialogue with North Korea, and the publicity could complicate those efforts.

Moreover, South Korea fears that publicizing the transfer might fuel Pyongyang's hostility towards South Korea. North Korea has been using deployed soldiers to craft a heroic narrative for its regime propaganda. Asst Prof Ryu Yongwook of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy noted that confirming the soldiers' return could further escalate tensions with the North.

Diplomatically, South Korea perceives the disclosure as a breach of trust. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) informed lawmakers that Ukraine had initially requested strict confidentiality due to concerns about potential implications for future prisoner exchange negotiations with Russia. However, Ukraine denies that such an agreement existed.

South Korea's spy agency suggested that Zelenskyy might have hoped the disclosure would generate support in South Korea for supplying Ukraine with weapons and other assistance. While South Korea is a major arms producer and faces pressure from Western countries and Kyiv to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine, it has not done so, adhering to its policy of not directly supplying lethal weapons to countries at war.

The diplomatic rift comes at a sensitive time for Ukraine, which is already facing numerous challenges.