Ukraine sought no support for North Korean POW transfer to South Korea, says NIS

Ukraine set no conditions for sending two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea, and Seoul made no promises of support in return, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers Wednesday.

The spy agency gave the report at a closed-door plenary session of the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee. Rep. Youn Kun-young of the ruling Democratic Party and Rep. Yoo Yeong-ha of the opposition People Power Party, the committee's senior members from each side, briefed reporters afterward.

Seoul began consultations with Ukraine after the two soldiers were captured on Jan. 9, 2025, with the two sides agreeing from the start that the matter should be kept confidential, the NIS said.

Ukraine asked Seoul to keep the talks under wraps from the outset because of their potential impact on prisoner-exchange negotiations. The South Korean government respected Ukraine's position and, on humanitarian grounds, maintained strict secrecy out of concern for the safety of the soldiers and their families in North Korea.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the transfer himself in an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 23.

Seoul expressed strong regret to the Ukrainian government and demanded an official explanation and apology, but Ukraine has not expressed regret or apologized, either officially or unofficially, the NIS said.

"The intelligence authorities' analysis is that President Zelensky made the transfer public in the hope that it might stir public opinion in South Korea in favor of providing various kinds of support, including weapons, to the Ukrainian government," the NIS told lawmakers.

"There have been no unusual movements on the Russian side regarding the transfer," the agency also said, according to Yoo.

The NIS also reported that the position of Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as the country’s designated successor appears to be consolidating.

"She stood at the very center during the Jan. 1 visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and appeared for the first time at Victory Day [July 27] events and at a memorial for revolutionary martyrs on Liberation Day [Aug. 15]," the NIS said. "With the level of protocol and attendance elevated, her position as successor-designate is being strengthened."

"Kim Ju-ae's activities had focused on military-related areas, but they have recently expanded into areas such as people's livelihoods, politics and diplomacy," the agency said. "She has made 30 appearances this year, the most ever."

The NIS also gave lawmakers its own profile information on Kim Ju-ae for the first time. She stands 160 centimeters (5 feet 3 inches) tall and weighs more than 50 kilograms (110 pounds), the agency said.

"Kim Ju-ae is building a mature image by wearing women's suits and heels," the agency said.

"We have obtained intelligence that [North Korean] overseas missions have been ordered to keep quiet and that front-line officials handling the United States are very busy," the NIS added.

Kim Jong-un, meanwhile, is believed to be in the 140-kilogram range and is at "high risk of cardiovascular disease," according to the NIS.

"But he performs movements such as running up stairs during a destroyer inspection without difficulty, and a dedicated medical team manages him closely, so we believe there are no particular signs of health problems," the NIS said.

BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]