Ukraine calls POW dispute closed as South Korea maintains apology demand

In their own words

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Where accounts differ

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Other voices

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Timeline

1. 2025-01

   Officials said the two soldiers were captured in January 2025 while fighting for Russia in Kursk.

   Sources: Yonhap News Agency

   Supporting statements

   Officials said the two soldiers were captured in January 2025 while fighting for Russia in Kursk and arrived in South Korea in mid-September.

2. 2026-09

   Officials said the two soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September.

   Sources: Yonhap News Agency

   Supporting statements

   The two North Korean soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September, according to officials.

3. 2026-09-23

   On Sept. 23, Zelenskyy said in his UN General Assembly address that Ukraine had recently sent two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.

   Sources: Yonhap News Agency · The Kyiv Independent

   Supporting statements

   Zelensky said two North Korean prisoners of war had recently been sent to South Korea.

   Zelensky addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 23 and called for continued support for Ukraine, stressed negotiations, and warned that Ukrainians would continue to fight back against Russia.

4. 2026-09-24

   On Sept. 24, Lee said Ukraine had disclosed the transfer in breach of a non-disclosure agreement and that he regretted it.

   Sources: Yonhap News Agency

   Supporting statements

   “(Ukraine) disclosed the transfer in breach of a non-disclosure agreement”

   “I don't know the reasons (for the disclosure), but I regret it.”

5. 2026-09-27

   On Sept. 27, South Korea’s presidential office demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine over the disclosure.

   Sources: South China Morning Post · Ukrainska Pravda (via Reuters)

   Supporting statements

   South Korea’s presidential office demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine.

   Seong said the government was reviewing additional measures on the issue if necessary.

   The office said there was an agreement to keep the transfer confidential.

   “Ukraine's subsequent denial that any confidentiality agreement existed was false and had damaged trust between the two governments”

6. 2026-09-28

   On Sept. 28, South Korea’s foreign ministry called in Ukraine’s acting ambassador Andrii Vieshkin over the disclosure.

   Sources: Yonhap News Agency · The Korea Herald · Yonhap News Agency

   Supporting statements

   South Korea's foreign ministry called in Ukraine's acting ambassador on September 28, 2026.

   Park demanded an official explanation and apology for the disclosure and denial and urged Ukraine to prevent a recurrence.

   Vieshkin said he would accurately convey Seoul's position to Kyiv.

7. 2026-10-02

   On Oct. 2, Lee urged Ukraine to acknowledge the facts and apologize, warning of further measures if it continued to refuse.

   Sources: Yonhap News Agency · Yonhap News Agency

   Supporting statements

   “If (Ukraine) continues to deny the fact and refuse to offer an official apology, (Seoul) will take additional measures”

   Lee Jae-myung urged Ukraine on X to promptly acknowledge the facts and apologize.

   Lee warned that Ukraine would face additional measures if it continued to refuse to acknowledge the facts and apologize publicly.

8. 2026-10-06

   On Oct. 6, Cho said messages he received from Sybiha included an apology, but it fell short of Seoul’s expectations.

   Sources: Yonhap News Agency

   Supporting statements

   “Messages that I received (from Sybiha) included an apology.”

   “But there is a difference from the level we expect, so we intend to take firm measures”

9. 2026-10-07

   On Oct. 7, Tykhyi said Ukraine’s foreign minister had not apologized.

   Sources: BBC News (via Liga)

   Supporting statements

   Tykhyi said Ukraine's foreign minister had not apologized.

10. 2026-10-08

    On Oct. 8, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said the government had decided to recall its ambassador to Ukraine.

    Sources: Yonhap News Agency

    Supporting statements

    “The government has decided to recall its ambassador to Ukraine to Seoul”

    “We hope that various issues between the two countries will be resolved smoothly, and we will continue consultations with the Ukrainian side to that end”

11. 2026-10-08

    On Oct. 8, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said it had invited South Korea’s ambassador to convey Ukraine’s position and seek constructive solutions.

    Sources: Yonhap News Agency · Ukrainska Pravda

    Supporting statements

    Tykhy said Ukraine invited the South Korean ambassador to its foreign ministry that week to convey Ukraine's position while seeking a constructive solution.

    As quoted in Korean, with a machine translation

    “건설적인 해결책을 모색하기 위해 이번 주 주우크라이나 주재 한국 대사를 외무부로 초청해(invited) 우크라이나 측의 입장을 전달했다”

    Machine translation: “This week, we invited the Korean ambassador to Ukraine to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey Ukraine’s position and seek a constructive solution.”

    “Despite Seoul's decision to recall the ambassador, Ukraine remains open to resuming constructive dialogue – even if it takes time.”

12. 2026-10-10

    South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine returned home on the morning of October 10, two days after the recall decision.

    Sources: The Hankyoreh

    Supporting statements

    Park Gi-chang returned to South Korea on the morning of October 10, two days after the recall decision.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Park had returned that morning.

13. 2026-10-12

    On Oct. 12, Sybiha said in an interview that the dispute was resolved and Ukraine had fulfilled its obligations.

    Sources: Yonhap News Agency (via RBC-Ukraine)

    Supporting statements

    Sybiha said the dispute had been resolved.

    “Everything stemmed from different interpretations of the confidentiality requirements at various stages of the transfer of the prisoners of war. Ukraine fulfilled all its…”

14. 2026-10-13

    On Oct. 13, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said it would continue communication with Ukraine and maintain its apology and recurrence-prevention demands.

    Sources: Yonhap News Agency · Yonhap News Agency

    Supporting statements

    “To that end, we will continue consultations with the Ukrainian side and are currently maintaining communication.”

    A Foreign Ministry official affirmed that the government’s demands for an apology and measures to prevent a recurrence remain valid.

Coverage

Each outlet's headline, linked to its article. Non-English headlines are machine-translated. The groupings and notes on what each outlet emphasises are automated.

Our outlets in North Korea and Poland didn't cover it. No statements from the government or officials of Russia, North Korea, United States or Poland are in our sources.

More detail

Written by our automated pipeline from the statements in the coverage; each point lists the statements it rests on.