South Korea made no promises to provide military assistance to Ukraine in exchange for the release of two North Korean soldiers, a South Korean lawmaker said on Wednesday.
Yoo Yong-ha, a lawmaker representing South Korea's People Power Party, confirmed that Ukraine handed over the two captured soldiers without imposing any preconditions. Yoo disclosed the information following data provided by the National Intelligence Service, South Korea's primary state intelligence agency.
The statements were reported by international news agency Reuters, which cited the lawmaker following parliamentary intelligence assessments regarding the soldier transfer.
The politician suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may have publicly announced the transfer of the North Korean captives in an effort to generate broader public support within South Korea for delivering weapons and military equipment to Kyiv. Yoo added that Ukrainian officials have so far failed to offer an apology or express regret over the public release of confidential information regarding the handover.
Intelligence briefings and security context
The National Intelligence Service operates as South Korea's principal government agency charged with collecting foreign intelligence, investigating security threats, and monitoring developments in North Korea. The Korean Peninsula remains divided between North and South Korea, with Seoul maintaining intensive security oversight regarding any military personnel or captives originating from the North.
The People Power Party is one of the main political parties in South Korea that holds significant influence over legislative and foreign policy discussions. South Korea has historically maintained strict principles regarding direct arms supplies to countries engaged in active warfare, focusing instead on financial support, medical supplies, and humanitarian assistance.
Dispute over broken secrecy agreement
The remarks from Yoo follow public criticism voiced on September 25 by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who condemned Ukraine for disclosing information regarding the transfer of North Korean military personnel to Seoul. The president emphasized that both governments had previously agreed to maintain absolute secrecy concerning the prisoner exchange.
Confidential transfers involving military captives are routinely managed under strict secrecy to protect operational security and preserve diplomatic channels between participating nations. Despite the disagreement over the leak, South Korean intelligence officials confirmed that no commitment of military weaponry was made during the negotiations.
