South Korea demands apology from Ukraine over disclosure of North Korean POW transfer

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine addresses the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23. | Dave Sanders / The New York Times

Reuters

Sep 28, 2026

South Korea’s presidential office demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea and then falsely denying that the two sides had agreed to keep the move confidential.

“The presidential office expresses strong regret over Ukraine’s unilateral disclosure and its subsequent false announcement that there had not been a nondisclosure agreement,” Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, said in a statement released on Sunday.

He said the government was reviewing additional measures over the issue, if necessary.

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