Seoul:Ukraine was the first to request that the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea remain confidential, according to Seoul's spy agency. The two nations agreed to keep the transfer a secret from the beginning of the process.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) provided this information during a briefing to the National Assembly's intelligence committee. The NIS reported that the two North Korean soldiers arrived in South Korea in mid-September and were in good health.

Rep. Yoo Yeong-ha of the main opposition People Power Party explained that Ukraine wanted confidentiality due to concerns about the impact on future POW exchange negotiations. The NIS collaborated with the foreign ministry on the repatriation, with both South Korea and Ukraine agreeing from the start to maintain confidentiality.

The NIS noted that while the two countries agreed through multiple channels to keep the transfer secret, it was unclear if such an agreement existed between their leaders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the transfer during a United Nations address, stating that Ukraine had sent the soldiers, captured last year, to South Korea.

Following this disclosure, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's office stated that Ukraine had breached a nondisclosure agreement meant to protect the soldiers. Despite this, a Ukrainian presidential official reportedly denied the existence of any such agreement.

In response, South Korea's foreign ministry summoned Andrii Vieshkin, the acting ambassador of Ukraine, to express strong concern over Ukraine's denial of the confidentiality agreement.