South Korean spy agency: Zelenskyy revealed secret transfer of North Korean POWs to garner support for Ukraine

South Koreas spy agency said Wednesday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys recent revelation of a supposedly secret transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to the South was likely meant to generate public support in this Asian democracy for greater assistance to UkraineZelenskyys disclosure during his UN speech last week of the transfer of the captured soldiers has stunned South Korea and drawn strong protests Seoul called on Kyiv to apologize and explain the violation of what it said was a nondisclosure agreement about the transfer Ukraine denied agreeing to any such dealThe fracas surrounding the revelation has shaken the traditionally good relations between Kyiv and Seoul but its unclear if it would lead to something more dramaticThe soldiers were among thousands sent by North Korea to help Russia repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russias Kursk border region as part of expanding cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow North Korea has supplied conventional weapons to Russia as wellUkraine has not responded to South Koreas demands for an apologySouth Koreas National Intelligence Service held a closeddoor meeting with a parliament committee on Wednesday about the matterAccording to lawmaker Yoo Yeongha who attended the meeting the committee was told there has been no apology or expression of regret from Ukraine either through official or unofficial channelsThe intelligence service assessed that Zelenskyy likely disclosed the transfer with the intention to rally public support in South Korea in favor of supplying weapons and other assistance to Ukraine Yoo saidYoo did not elaborate or say how the intelligence service made its assessmentSouth Korea has sent humanitarian aid and other support to Ukraine but has refrained from sending weapons in line with its policy of not supplying arms to countries actively engaged in conflictAccording to the intelligence service the North Korean POWs arrived in South Korea in midSeptember and have no major health issues according to another lawmaker Yun Kunyoung who was also present at the meeting The agency said that while in Ukraine the soldiers had expressed their desires to resettle in South Korea according to YunNorth Korea hasnt publicly commented on the transfer but has previously claimed major defections of its citizens were the result of South Korea abducting them or luring them to fleeSouth Korean officials have said they were concerned about the safety of the two soldiers and their relatives back in North Korea Experts say there were also concerns the transfer could trigger protests from the North and undermine efforts to restart Pyongyangs talks with the United StatesYun also said the intelligence service estimates that about 9000 North Korean soldiers were engaged in surveillance operations in the Kursk regionHe also added that the lawmakers were told Russia has given North Korea weapons technologies to support its military modernization plans but has been reluctant to transfer cuttingedge technology related to the construction of nuclearpowered submarines and intercontinental ballistic missilesThe daughter of North Koreas Kim cements her status as his heirThe intelligence service has also assessed that the teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has cemented her status as her fathers likely heir after attending an array of different public events and getting more ceremonial treatment Yun saidHe quoted the service as saying Kims daughter reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and around 13 made about 30 public appearances together with her father so far this year the highest figure in the corresponding period since she first appeared in public in late 2022Some experts caution against seeing her as her fathers successor citing North Koreas extremely strong malecentered power hierarchyYoo the lawmaker said the service described Kims daughter as trying to project a more mature image by wearing womens suits and pointedtoe heels The intelligence agency has in the past made assessments of Kim Jong Uns health conditions by using artificial intelligence techniques analyses of superresolution video and other methodsAlso in the Wednesday meeting the intelligence agency said Kim is still severely obese but has no signs of other health problems Yun saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever