Seoul says written proof of NK POW secrecy deal exists

South Korea claims to possess written evidence confirming an agreement between Seoul and Kyiv to maintain secrecy surrounding the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs). President Lee Jae Myung cautioned on Friday that Seoul would implement further actions if Ukraine fails to apologize for revealing the transfer. This dispute is anticipated to exacerbate the diplomatic tensions between the two nations, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's announcement of the transfer during his address to the U.N.

General Assembly on September 23. Kyiv has refuted the existence of any confidentiality agreement, whereas Seoul firmly maintains that one was indeed established, and Ukraine breached it. A high-ranking official from South Korea's foreign ministry provided a comprehensive account of the events on Friday. According to the official, it is evident that the two countries mutually consented to keep the transfer confidential.

The Ukrainian delegation informed the South Korean side about Zelenskyy's planned speech at the U.N. General Assembly, though they did not specify the speech's content. In response, Seoul communicated via text, expressing its preference that Zelenskyy refrain from violating the agreement between the two nations regarding the secrecy of the transfer.