Who first requested secrecy over the transfer of the two North Korean POWs to South Korea?

Ukraine was the first to ask that the transfer be kept secret. Seoul’s spy agency said both sides shared an understanding from the beginning of the transfer process to keep it confidential.

When did the two North Korean POWs arrive in South Korea?

The NIS said the two soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September. It also told lawmakers that they were in no major health trouble.

What did South Korea do after Ukraine denied the nondisclosure agreement?

The foreign ministry summoned acting ambassador Andrii Vieshkin on Monday and expressed strong concern over Ukraine’s denial. Seoul has said the confidentiality was meant to protect the soldiers from possible dangers if the transfer became public.

Spy agency says Ukraine first requested confidentiality over transfer of N. Korean POWs

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Summary

Seoul’s spy agency said Ukraine first asked that the transfer of two North Korean POWs to South Korea be kept secret, and that both sides understood the transfer would remain confidential from the start. The NIS told lawmakers the two soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September and had no major health problems. Ukraine’s public disclosure and later denial of a nondisclosure agreement have since triggered strong concern in Seoul.

Key Facts

The NIS said the two North Korean soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September.
According to committee members, the two soldiers had no major health problems.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week at a United Nations address that Ukraine had sent the two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea.
South Korea’s foreign ministry called in acting Ukrainian ambassador Andrii Vieshkin on Monday and expressed strong concern over Ukraine’s denial of the confidentiality agreement.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 30, 2026 11:40 am KST

North Korean soldiers, who were captured by Ukrainian forces, at a prisoner-of-war camp in Ukraine / Captured from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's X

Ukraine was the first to ask the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea be kept a secret, Seoul's spy agency said Wednesday, adding the two countries had a shared understanding to keep the transfer confidential from the beginning of the transfer process.

In a briefing to the National Assembly's intelligence committee, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) also said the two North Korean soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September and had no major health problems, according to committee members.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed during a United Nations address last week that Ukraine has sent the two North Korean soldiers captured last year to South Korea.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his office have since said Ukraine breached a nondisclosure agreement aimed at keeping the transfer a secret to protect the soldiers from dangers they could face if their transfer were to be disclosed.

A Ukrainian presidential official was later reported to have denied the existence of a nondisclosure agreement.

The foreign ministry on Monday called in Andrii Vieshkin, acting ambassador of Ukraine to South Korea, and expressed strong concern over Ukraine's denial of the confidentiality agreement with South Korea.

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