Seoul says Kyiv proposed keeping North Korean POW transfer secret
Photo: Kyiv was the first to ask for secrecy over North Korean POWs, Seoul's intelligence service says (Zelenskiy.Official)
Ukraine was the first to ask South Korea not to disclose the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war, according to Seoul's intelligence service, according to Yonhap.
The National Intelligence Service of South Korea (NIS) disclosed this during a briefing for the parliamentary intelligence committee. According to the agency, at the beginning of the talks, Kyiv asked that the transfer of the two North Korean soldiers be kept secret. The Ukrainian side was allegedly concerned that disclosure could affect future prisoner exchanges.
Opposition People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Eui-dong attended the briefing and relayed the intelligence officials' comments.
The NIS worked with the foreign ministry on their repatriation, and both South Korea and Ukraine held related discussions from the beginning under the shared understanding that the issue would remain confidential," Yoo Eui-dong said.
He added that the sides agreed through several channels to keep the transfer secret. However, the intelligence service does not know whether such an agreement was reached between the leaders of the two countries.
The two North Korean soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September. They do not have any serious health problems.
What preceded the scandal
On September 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during the UN General Assembly that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. According to him, the transfer took place recently.
The following day, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung accused Ukraine of violating a confidentiality agreement. He called the issue of their repatriation "extremely sensitive" and "related to diplomacy and national security."
Officials in Seoul say the Ukrainian government itself insisted on confidentiality. According to them, Kyiv was concerned about domestic criticism over losing the opportunity to exchange the North Korean prisoners of war for Ukrainian prisoners. Seoul allegedly agreed out of concern for the safety of the prisoners and their families, as well as diplomatic and security considerations.
A representative of the South Korean presidential administration said Zelenskyy disclosed the information without prior explanation or consultation. According to Seoul, this happened despite a mutual agreement.
Meanwhile, a source in the Office of the President said Ukraine had not promised to keep the transfer of the prisoners secret. Kyiv explained that it had disclosed only the fact of the transfer, without any details of the process.
As RBC-Ukraine reported, Seoul knew that Zelenskyy might mention the prisoners in his speech. South Korean officials received the information through diplomatic channels, but Kyiv did not provide the exact wording of the statement.
On September 28, South Korea's Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine's acting ambassador, Andrii Vieshkin.
First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo demanded official explanations and an apology from Ukraine.
