Summary: Lawmakers briefed by South Korea's National Intelligence Service say Seoul did not promise military aid to Ukraine in exchange for the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers. President Zelenskiy's public announcement prompted Seoul to demand an explanation and apology, while Kyiv maintains no secrecy agreement existed. The two men arrived in mid-September and will undergo NIS questioning and security screening before any resettlement decisions. South Korea continues to provide non-lethal support to Ukraine amid international pressure to supply weapons.
South Korea Says It Made No Military Aid Pledge Over Transfer Of Two North Korean Soldiers
Lawmaker Yu Yong-weon of South Korea’s main opposition People Power Party explains pictures, showing two North Korean POWs who were recently transferred from Ukraine to South Korea, taken during his visit to a POW camp in Ukraine last February, at his office at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, September 28, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Seoul Did Not Promise Weapons to Kyiv, Lawmakers Say
South Korea did not pledge military assistance to Ukraine in connection with the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers, lawmakers briefed by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) said on Wednesday.
Background and Diplomatic Fallout
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy publicly announced at the United Nations General Assembly that Kyiv had transferred two North Korean soldiers captured during fighting in Russia's Kursk region to South Korea. After the announcement, the South Korean presidential office demanded an explanation and an apology from Ukraine, saying the disclosure violated an agreement intended to keep the transfer confidential to protect the soldiers and their families in North Korea.
Lawmakers Yoo Yeong-ha and Youn Kun-young, who attended a briefing by the NIS, said the intelligence agency told them there had been no promise of military aid from Seoul to Kyiv tied to the transfer. According to the NIS briefing, Ukraine had imposed no conditions on the handover. Kyiv has said no secrecy agreement existed.
Lawmaker Yu Yong-weon of South Korea’s main opposition People Power Party explains pictures, showing two North Korean POWs who were recently transferred from Ukraine to South Korea, taken during his visit to a POW camp in Ukraine last February, at his office at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, September 28, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Screening, Security And Resettlement
The two men, transferred to South Korea in mid-September, are expected to undergo detailed questioning and security screening by the NIS before authorities decide whether to grant protection and begin resettlement procedures. Under South Korean law, the NIS verifies applicants held in temporary protective custody — checking identity, reasons for leaving North Korea and any security-related concerns.
The lawmaker briefing also noted that the pair had no reported health issues.
Wider Context: Arms, Aid And Alleged North Korean Deployments
Seoul, a major global arms producer, has faced international requests — including from Kyiv — to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine. To date, South Korea has focused primarily on non-lethal support such as demining equipment.
Separately, Zelenskiy has warned about North Korean troop deployments supporting Russia, saying this week that more than 8,000 North Korean troops were already on Russian territory and that preparations were under way to deploy another 10,000. In August he warned that as many as 50,000 North Korean soldiers could be sent to fight alongside Russia and appealed to South Korea for assistance with Ukraine's air defences.
Reporting by Heejin Kim; additional reporting by Hyunjoo Jin and Soohyun Jung; editing by Ed Davies and Kate Mayberry.
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