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South Korea demands apology from Ukraine over disclosure of North Korean POW transfer

South Korea's presidential office has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea and then denying a nondisclosure agreement had existed.

By The Lumen desk · Sept 27, 2026 · 1 min read
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What we know
1 South Korea's presidential office demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine.
2 The dispute concerns the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.
3 South Korea accused Ukraine of disclosing the transfer and then denying a nondisclosure agreement had been made.
4 Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary, issued a statement expressing "strong regret" over Ukraine's actions, according to Arab News.

South Korea's presidential office has demanded an apology from Ukraine over the disclosure of a transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, according to multiple outlets.

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South Korea accused Ukraine of publicly revealing the POW transfer and then falsely denying that the two countries had agreed to keep the matter confidential. Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary, said the presidential office "expresses strong regret over Ukraine's unilateral disclosure and its subsequent false announcement that there had not been a non-disclosure agreement," according to Arab News.

The dispute has strained relations between South Korea and Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera English, which reported that Ukraine has denied that a nondisclosure agreement existed, a denial that South Korea's presidential office has criticized.

How each side covered it

Left

3 outlets
  • Reports noted South Korea's demand for an apology from Ukraine.
  • Al Jazeera English reported that relations between the two countries have soured over the issue.
  • Coverage highlighted Ukraine's denial of a nondisclosure agreement.

“South Korea's presidential office criticises Ukraine for denying POW nondisclosure agreement.” — Al Jazeera English

Center

4 outlets
  • Reports detailed South Korea's demand for an official explanation and apology.
  • Arab News quoted Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary, expressing "strong regret" over Ukraine's actions.
  • Coverage described the dispute as centered on an alleged nondisclosure agreement over the POW transfer.

“The presidential office expresses strong regret over Ukraine's unilateral disclosure and its subsequent false announcement that there had not been a non-disclosure agreement.” — Arab News

Questions readers ask

What happened between South Korea and Ukraine?

South Korea's presidential office demanded an apology from Ukraine after accusing it of disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea and then denying that a nondisclosure agreement had existed.

Why does this dispute matter?

The disagreement has soured relations between South Korea and Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera English, centering on whether the two governments had agreed to keep the POW transfer confidential.

Who commented on the dispute?

Seong Ghi-hong, South Korea's senior presidential secretary, said the presidential office expressed "strong regret" over Ukraine's disclosure and subsequent denial, according to Arab News.

What is Ukraine's position?

Ukraine has denied that a nondisclosure agreement existed regarding the North Korean POW transfer, according to Al Jazeera English.

Sources · 7 outlet reports

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