South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul made a sharp statement during a parliamentary audit of the ministry, indicating that official apologies from Ukraine regarding the scandal surrounding North Korean prisoners have fallen short of Seoul's expectations. Amid escalating diplomatic disagreements, the South Korean government intends to review and take a set of decisive measures. This situation is the result of a long-standing history involving the capture of North Korean servicemen by Ukrainian defense forces.
Background of the North Korean Prisoner Scandal
To recap, two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian Defense Forces on January 11, 2025, in the Kursk region. South Korea's legislation dictates that Seoul legally considers all residents of North Korea as its citizens, which is why the South Korean side immediately expressed readiness to accept them after the incident. In July 2026, the presidents of Ukraine and South Korea held talks and reached agreements on the further fate of these prisoners.
Public Disclosure and Diplomatic Tension
The situation reached a new level of tension on September 23, 2026, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly announced during his speech at the UN General Assembly that Ukraine had recently transferred both North Korean soldiers to Seoul. Two days later, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung openly criticized the Ukrainian leader for disclosing this information, noting that the parties supposedly had preliminary agreements not to disclose the transfer details.
Contradictory Data
Notable discrepancies in the parties' versions emerged regarding the confidentiality agreement. Representatives of the Office of the President of Ukraine strongly objected, stating that Kyiv had not assumed any such obligations and did not disclose sensitive details of the process. At the same time, another representative of the Korean presidential office later acknowledged that Kyiv had warned Seoul in advance about the possible mention of prisoners in Zelenskyy's speech, but the Korean side insists on an initial verbal agreement of complete silence.
Ministry Positions and Seoul's Further Steps
Continuing the topic of contacts with the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Minister Cho Tae-yul noted that he was in constant communication with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, who acknowledged the complexity of the situation and conveyed apologies. Nevertheless, Seoul considered these steps insufficient. Parliamentarians are already proposing radical measures, including the potential recall of South Korea's ambassador to Ukraine, Park Hee-kwon. The South Korean Foreign Ministry previously summoned Ukraine's Chargé d'Affaires Andrii Veshkin, demanding official explanations. In turn, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the dispute as a diplomatic misunderstanding and emphasized that Kyiv seeks to resolve the existing contradictions as quickly as possible.
