Seoul's presidential office called in Ukraine's representative on September 28 to express outrage over a broken secrecy pact involving captured enemy soldiers. The government is demanding a formal apology and official explanation after President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed during a speech to the UN General Assembly that Ukraine had transferred personnel from Pyongyang to the South. Officials in Seoul claim the revelation sparked unnecessary domestic controversy and jeopardized national security and diplomatic stability.

The dispute centers on two North Korean prisoners of war, the first individuals from that nation captured alive since Pyongyang joined the war in 2024. While the Blue House asserts that Ukraine specifically requested the transfer remain confidential, Zelensky denies that any nondisclosure agreement ever existed. Despite the row, a senior government official stated that support for Kyiv will continue, noting that while the wording of the UN speech was not coordinated, Ukraine did provide advance notice of the topic.