dexinwin SEOUL —South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned on October 2 that Seoul would take “additional measures” if Ukraine continued to deny what South Korea says was an agreement to keep the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea confidential and refused to apologize.
The dispute has created an unusual diplomatic rift between Seoul and Kyiv, with the two sides offering different accounts of whether a confidentiality understanding existed.
Lee Demands an Apology
Lee made the comments in a post on X, saying Ukraine had previously requested that the transfer of the two North Korean POWs be kept confidential and that the two countries had reached an understanding on the matter.
According to Lee, Ukraine subsequently disclosed the transfer publicly and then denied that a confidentiality agreement existed. He said this effectively portrayed the South Korean president as a liar.
“If the refusal to acknowledge the facts and issue an official apology continues, we will take additional measures,” Lee said.
Lee also expressed what he described as “serious regret” over Ukrainian remarks concerning the possibility of a military confrontation on the Korean Peninsula, saying the issue involved the dignity of South Korea and its people.
Dispute Began With Transfer of Two North Korean POWs
The diplomatic dispute began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed during the U.N. General Assembly last month that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean soldiers captured during the war to South Korea.
The two men were captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025 in Russia's Kursk region while fighting alongside Russian forces. They were transferred to South Korea in mid-September following months of discussions between Seoul and Kyiv.
South Korea had previously avoided publicly confirming the transfer, citing concerns over the safety of the two men and their families who remain in North Korea.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service told lawmakers on September 30 that Ukraine had been the first side to request strict confidentiality during the early stages of discussions and that both countries had shared an understanding that the transfer should remain confidential.
Ukraine Disputes Seoul's Account
Ukraine, however, has disputed South Korea's characterization of the arrangement.
Ukrainian officials have said there was no confidentiality agreement at the presidential level, while acknowledging that the two countries had held discussions concerning the transfer.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha recently described the dispute as a “diplomatic misunderstanding” and said Kyiv hoped to resolve it quickly. He also emphasized that South Korea remained an important partner for Ukraine.
The central disagreement therefore concerns not the transfer itself, which both sides acknowledge occurred, butthe nature of the confidentiality understanding and whether Ukraine's public disclosure violated an arrangement previously reached between the two governments.
Diplomatic Channels Remain Open
Despite Lee's warning, Seoul has not announced any specific punitive or retaliatory measures.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry said diplomatic communication with Ukraine remains ongoing. On October 2, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, discussed how Kyiv could respond to Seoul's demand for an explanation and apology. The discussions reportedly included the possible wording, tone and method of Ukraine's response.
A senior South Korean official said Seoul wanted to make its position clear while also maintaining good relations with Ukraine and preventing the dispute from developing into a broader bilateral confrontation.
That means the “additional measures” mentioned by Lee have not yet been publicly defined.
The Two POWs Are Now in South Korea
South Korean officials said the two North Korean soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September and were in generally stable health.
Seoul has said the transfer was handled with consideration for international law, humanitarian principles and the soldiers' own wishes. South Korean officials have also said both men had consistently expressed their desire to come to South Korea during consultations.
The case is particularly sensitive because public disclosure could potentially affect the safety of the two men and their relatives still living in North Korea.
What Happens Next?
Lee has now made South Korea's position explicit: Seoul wants Ukraine to acknowledge the alleged confidentiality understanding and issue an official apology.
If Kyiv continues to reject that position, the South Korean president has said further measures will follow. However, the government has not specified what those measures would involve.
Reuters cited analysts who said potential steps could affect areas of South Korean support for Ukraine, including humanitarian, financial and reconstruction assistance. Those possibilities remain analysis rather than announced government policy.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry has also stressed that the humanitarian issue should not automatically be linked to other areas of bilateral cooperation and that communication channels with Ukraine remain open.
For now, Seoul and Kyiv continue diplomatic contacts. The next stage of the dispute will likely depend on whether Ukraine acknowledges the confidentiality understanding described by South Korea, whether it issues an apology, and what Seoul means in practice by the “additional measures” warned of by President Lee.
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