South Korea Summons Ukraine Envoy Over POW Transfer Disclosure

South Korea summoned Ukraine's acting ambassador, Andrii Vieshkin, on September 28, 2026, to express strong regret over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's public disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry stated that both countries had reached a clear understanding to keep the transfer confidential, citing implications for the soldiers' safety and their families. Zelensky had announced the transfer during an address at the United Nations General Assembly the previous week. South Korea's presidential office called the disclosure very disappointing, emphasizing its sensitivity to diplomacy and national security on the Korean Peninsula.

Ukraine's denial of a presidential-level agreement to keep the transfer private, though acknowledging discussions at the foreign ministers' meeting in June, has led to demands for an official apology from Kyiv. The two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025 while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region. South Korean media reported that Vieshkin listened carefully to Seoul's position and would relay it to his government.

Separately, South Korea's Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul stated on September 29 that land mines found near a recent explosion site in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) were highly likely caused by North Korean forces, calling it a clear violation of the armistice agreement and vowing to take corresponding measures.