South Korea demands apology from Ukraine after revealing transfer of two North Korean soldiers

South Korea has demanded a formal apology from Ukraine after Kyiv denied the existence of an agreement between the two sides to keep secret the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers, who had been fighting alongside Russian forces.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung responded to Zelensky, questioning on X why the Ukrainian side breached the agreement and revealed the matter publicly, expressing his “disappointment.”

However, Song Gi-hong, the senior presidential secretary for media affairs in South Korea, said in a statement that “the Ukrainian side’s violation of the confidentiality agreement between the two countries and its unilateral disclosure of information is in itself a highly serious matter.”

He added that “the incorrect claim issued by the press office of the Ukrainian presidency, denying the existence of a confidentiality agreement, seriously undermines trust between the governments of the two countries and causes significant damage to their friendly relations.”

He affirmed that the South Korean presidency is demanding “clarification and a formal apology,” adding that Seoul is considering “additional measures that may be necessary” in this regard, without specifying their nature.

Ukraine captured two North Korean soldiers at the beginning of last year, who had been fighting within units dispatched by Pyongyang to support Russian forces in the war.

Previously, a South Korean official stated that the two soldiers had expressed their desire to live a “normal life” in South Korea.