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Lee accuses Ukraine of violating pact by revealing North Korean POW transfer

Nknews • September 25, 2026

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday expressed concern over Volodymyr Zelensky’s public disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea, saying the Ukrainian president had violated an agreement to keep the move private.

In a statement posted on X , Lee took aim at the Ukrainian leader after a political debate arose in South Korea over the presidential Blue House’s initial silence on the transfer of the two POWs, who were apprehended in Russia’s Kursk region in early 2025.

“I do not know what circumstances led the Ukrainian side to disclose

Shreyas Reddy is the Lead Correspondent at NK News, based in Seoul. He previously worked as a researcher at BBC Monitoring, where his work focused on news and key people and organizations from the Korean Peninsula, Japan, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Follow him on Twitter.

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South Korea Accuses Ukraine of Breaching POW Transfer Agreement South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has accused Ukraine of violating a non-disclosure agreement regarding the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. Lee expressed concerns that Ukraine's public announcement could jeopardize diplomatic relations and national security. The prisoners were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk Oblast in early 2025. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer during a speech at the UN General Assembly on September 23, 2026, which sparked political debate in South Korea. Lee emphasized the sensitivity of the issue, stating that public disclosure could lead to serious diplomatic repercussions. The South Korean government had initially considered keeping the transfer confidential to avoid political fallout. Ukraine defended its decision, arguing that it would have been unusual to keep such an event secret. The situation highlights ongoing tensions surrounding inter-Korean relations and the implications of international military cooperation. 2 sources 43

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North Korea Russia South Korea Ukraine