Ukrainian President Zelensky announced at the UN General Assembly that two captured North Korean soldiers had been transferred to South Korea, prompting a diplomatic row with Seoul. South Korea summoned Ukraine's acting ambassador to lodge a formal complaint, stating that the transfer disclosure violated an agreement to keep the matter secret and damaged bilateral trust. President Lee Jae Myung called the announcement "greatly disappointing" and faced domestic criticism for allegedly covering up the transfer to appease Pyongyang.

The two North Korean soldiers, captured by Ukrainian forces in early 2025, were transferred following over a year of negotiations with Seoul. South Korea said the secrecy was necessary to protect the soldiers' families and because Ukraine did not want to appear to have surrendered a potential bargaining chip for Ukrainian prisoners of war. Zelensky's office disputed that a non-disclosure agreement existed, whilst Seoul demanded an apology for "announcing a falsehood". The incident reflects broader tensions over South Korea's reluctance to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine despite pressure from Kyiv, and President Lee's efforts to pursue peace talks with North Korea.