South Korean intelligence believes that Ukrainian President Volodyr Zelensky may have revealed the fact of transferring two North Korean prisoners of war to garner public support in South Korea for providing weapons to Ukraine. This was stated on Wednesday by Yu Yong-ha, a member of the opposition party "People's Power," according to Reuters. Last week, Zelensky announced at the UN General Assembly that his country had sent two North Korean soldiers captured in the war against Russia to South Korea, noting that it was "not easy to capture them alive." A few hours after Zelensky's speech, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed dissatisfaction, and authorities in Seoul stated that maintaining confidentiality is crucial to protect the relatives of the prisoners of war from possible reprisals in North Korea. On Monday, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to express "serious concern" regarding the disclosure of information about the transfer of prisoners of war. Yu Yong-ha stated on Wednesday that, according to South Korean intelligence, Zelensky "may have decided to disclose the fact of the transfer," hoping that it would "generate support in Seoul for supplying weapons and other forms of assistance to Ukraine." He also noted that Kyiv had not set any conditions for the transfer of North Korean military personnel to Seoul. Another lawmaker, Yeong Geun-young, reported that the prisoners of war arrived in South Korea from Ukraine in mid-September. According to him, they "are generally in satisfactory condition, with no serious health issues identified." He added, referring to intelligence data, that "the willingness of both to move to South Korea has been repeatedly confirmed." Earlier this week, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that, "since this concerns the personal safety of these individuals and their families," Seoul and Kyiv "agreed to address this matter confidentially." Lawmaker Yu clarified on Wednesday that there was no separate agreement between the leaders of South Korea and Ukraine regarding confidentiality; however, diplomats from both countries had agreed on confidentiality during their contacts. "From the very beginning of the discussions, the Ukrainian side insisted on strict confidentiality, citing possible impacts on future prisoner exchanges with Russia," he added. Ukraine captured two North Korean soldiers at the beginning of last year when they were fighting on the side of Moscow. One of them told South Korean media that he was conscripted at the age of 17 and served in an intelligence unit. Earlier, one of the South Korean lawmakers reported that both prisoners of war want to "live a normal life" in South Korea. This diplomatic incident also threatens to complicate Kyiv's requests to Seoul for arms supplies. So far, South Korea has not supplied lethal weapons to Ukraine, citing an internal ban on military assistance to countries engaged in war. However, they are considering requests for the supply of defensive weapons, especially after North Korea sent troops in 2024 to support Russia in repelling the Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region of Russia.
