Seoul suspects Zelenskyy revealed N.Korean POW transfer to win arms support

SEOUL: South Korea's spy agency believes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may have disclosed the transfer of two North Korean POWs to boost public support in South Korea for providing arms to Ukraine, a lawmaker said Wednesday.

Zelenskyy disclosed last week that his country had sent two North Korean soldiers to the South, saying they were "not easy to capture alive."

Hours after Zelenskyy's remarks at the United Nations, South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung expressed his dismay, with Seoul claiming confidentiality was key to protecting the POWs' relatives from any repercussions in North Korea.

Seoul summoned on Monday Ukraine's envoy in South Korea to express "serious concerns" over Kyiv's disclosure of the matter.

Lawmaker Yoo Yeong-ha said Wednesday that Seoul's spy agency believes Zelenskyy "may have decided to disclose the transfer" in the hope that it could "generate public support in Seoul for providing Ukraine with weapons and other forms of assistance."

Another lawmaker, Youn Kun-young, said the two POWs arrived in South Korea from Ukraine in mid-September.

They were "in generally good health, with no major health concerns," he said, adding the two's "willingness to come to South Korea was confirmed several times," citing Seoul's spy agency.

Earlier this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said that "as the matter concerns the personal safety of the individuals involved and their families," the two sides – Seoul and Kyiv – had "agreed to handle it confidentially."

Lawmaker Yoo said Wednesday there was no agreement between the South Korean and Ukrainian leaders to keep the matter confidential, but that diplomatic officials from the two sides had agreed to confidentiality during their communications.

"From the outset of the discussions, the Ukrainian side proactively requested strict confidentiality, citing concerns about the potential impact on future prisoner exchanges (with Russia)," he added.

Ukraine captured the two North Korean soldiers early last year among Pyongyang's troops fighting for Moscow.

One of them told South Korean media he was conscripted aged 17 and had served in a reconnaissance unit.

A South Korean lawmaker had previously said the pair wanted to live a "normal life" in the South.

The row also risks complicating Kyiv's requests to Seoul for armaments supplies.

South Korea has so far not provided lethal weapons to Ukraine, citing a domestic ban on militarily aiding countries at war.

Nevertheless, it has been considering requests for defensive weapons, especially since North Korea deployed troops to support Russia.