Ukraine: "It would have been strange to secretly transfer North Korean POWs... We only disclosed that they were headed to the Republic of Korea"

[Financial News] The Office of the President of Ukraine said the decision to send two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea was made through direct dialogue with the Republic of Korea.
On the 24th (local time), the Office of the President of Ukraine responded to a Yonhap News Agency query about the background of the decision, saying, "This was a highly sensitive matter and involved direct dialogue with the Republic of Korea."
It added, "They are members of the same Korean nation," and explained, "The Republic of Korea regards them as its citizens."
The office denied claims that Russia had repeatedly requested custody of the two men, saying, "That is not true." It added, "Russia had no interest in them."
In an address to the United Nations General Assembly held in New York, United States, the previous day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that Ukraine had recently sent two North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces to the Republic of Korea. The South Korean government did not deny that they had been sent to South Korea and effectively confirmed the move in measured comments.
Asked whether there had been a confidential agreement regarding their transfer to the Republic of Korea, the Office of the President of Ukraine replied, "We are an open country," adding, "It would have been strange to simply send somewhere, in secret, those captured by our soldiers."
It continued, "The full circumstances of this matter are long and detailed, but we disclosed only the fact that we had sent them to the Republic of Korea."
President Lee Jae Myung criticized President Zelenskyy's public remarks in a post on X that day. Lee said, "You disclosed it publicly in breach of a confidential agreement," adding, "I do not know what circumstances there may have been, but it is deeply regrettable."
The two North Korean prisoners of war were reportedly captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region in January last year. Their existence became known after President Zelenskyy disclosed their capture on social media.
The South Korean government has said it would accept the North Korean prisoners of war, who are South Korean citizens under the Constitution, because they have expressed their intention to defect through media interviews, North Korean defector organizations and other channels.

[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter