Seoul Summons Ukrainian Envoy Over Disclosure of Captured North Korean Soldiers

South Korea summoned Ukraine's ambassador to the country on Wednesday to lodge a formal complaint over the public disclosure of two North Korean soldiers captured on the battlefield and transferred to Seoul, officials confirmed.

The controversy erupted after Zelensky revealed in a public address that Ukraine had detained two North Korean military personnel and handed them over to South Korean custody. Seoul officials stated the matter was intended to remain classified and expressed concern about the manner in which the information became public.

The incident underscores complications in the intelligence-sharing and military cooperation between Kyiv and Seoul as North Korean troops have increasingly been deployed to support Russian forces in Ukraine. South Korea, which has maintained official neutrality in the conflict while providing humanitarian assistance, has sought to carefully manage its handling of sensitive information related to North Korean military involvement.

Diplomatic officials from both nations are expected to conduct further discussions to clarify the circumstances surrounding the transfer and address Seoul's concerns about operational security and the protection of classified information shared between allied partners engaged in monitoring threats from Pyongyang.