South Korea Suggests Zelenskyy’s POW Leak Was a Bid for More Support

South Korea claims Ukraine's disclosure of secret North Korean POW transfer was to gain public support for more aid.

September 30, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Seoul, South Korea — South Korea’s intelligence agency has suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent disclosure of a secret transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to the South was likely an effort to generate public support in Seoul for increased assistance to Ukraine.

Zelenskyy revealed the transfer during his speech at the United Nations last week, which has caused significant backlash in South Korea. The country has called on Ukraine to apologize and explain the breach of what it claims was a non-disclosure agreement about the transfer. However, Ukraine has denied any such agreement existed.

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The incident has strained relations between Kyiv and Seoul, though it remains unclear if it will lead to more serious consequences. The North Korean soldiers were part of a larger group sent by Pyongyang to assist Russia in the Kursk region, as part of growing military cooperation between the two nations.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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