SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s spy agency said Wednesday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 's 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 Ukraine.
Zelenskyy’s disclosure during his U.N. 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 deal.
The fracas surrounding the revelation has shaken the traditionally good relations between Kyiv and Seoul but it's unclear if it would lead to something more dramatic.
The soldiers were among thousands sent by North Korea to help Russia repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region as part of expanding cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. North Korea has supplied conventional weapons to Russia as well.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service held a closed-door meeting with a parliament committee on Wednesday about the matter.
According to lawmaker Yoo Yeong-ha who attended the meeting, the committee was told there has been no apology or expression of regret from Ukraine — either through official or unofficial channels.
The 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 said.
Yoo did not elaborate or say how the intelligence service made its assessment.
South 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 conflict.
According to the intelligence service, the North Korean POWs arrived in South Korea in mid-September and have no major health issues, according to another lawmaker, Yun Kun-young, 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 Yun.
North Korea hasn't 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 flee.
South 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 Pyongyang's talks with the United States.
Yun also said the intelligence service estimates that about 9,000 North Korean soldiers were engaged in surveillance operations in the Kursk region.
He 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 cutting-edge technology related to the construction of nuclear-powered submarines and intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The intelligence service has also assessed that the teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has cemented her status as her father's likely heir after attending an array of different public events and getting more ceremonial treatment, Yun said.
He quoted the service as saying Kim's 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 2022.
Some experts caution against seeing her as her father's successor, citing North Korea’s extremely strong male-centered power hierarchy.
Yoo, the lawmaker, said the service described Kim's daughter as trying to project a more mature image by wearing women’s suits and pointed-toe heels. The intelligence agency has in the past made assessments of Kim Jong Un's health conditions by using artificial intelligence techniques, analyses of super-resolution video and other methods.
Also in the Wednesday meeting, the intelligence agency said Kim is still severely obese but has no signs of other health problems, Yun said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, attends the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 30, 2026--
rhode, the beauty brand founded by Hailey Rhode Bieber and part of e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF), is available starting today, Wednesday, 30 September, 2026, at Sephora online and in over 500 stores across Europe. This expansion with Sephora in Europe increases global access to rhode through physical retail, marking a pivotal next stage for the brand. This follows the 2025 rollout with Sephora in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260929500812/en/
Launched in June 2022, rhode began with a curated lineup of efficacious skincare, expanding into hybrid makeup. Each launch has garnered tremendous demand, inspiring shifts across the beauty industry and culture at large. Today, rhode is the No. 1 overall skincare brand in the U.S. by EMV and continues to deliver significant year-over-year growth, according to CreatorIQ.*
rhode is now available for consumers to shop at Sephora in 19 new countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain (including the Canary Islands), Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey. This expansion builds on rhode’s existing Sephora presence in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
“My goal since starting rhode has been to continue to bring the brand to more faces, places and spaces. This expansion across Europe allows more people to discover rhode in store, try our products, and experience the special, immersive moments we’re creating for our community. Sephora has been an important partner in helping us translate our vision into physical spaces that feel distinctly rhode and we’re excited for this next phase of growth,” said Hailey Rhode Bieber, Founder, Chief Creative Officer and Head of Innovation of rhode and Strategic Advisor to e.l.f. Beauty.
rhode’s strong visual identity, with its classic grey glossy builds with sleek soft edges, will lead the in-store experience across Sephora locations throughout Europe. Select European stores will be reimagined exclusively for rhode in Europe, with custom store builds, bespoke facades and large-scale 3D architectural installations of core products. Most notably Sephora’s iconic Champs-Élysées location in Paris will be taken over by an oversized branded experience that will turn one of Europe's most recognisable beauty destinations, into an immersive rhode world designed for the rhode community to explore and participate in.
“We’re excited to continue expanding our retail presence with Sephora across Europe, building on the momentum we’ve seen in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.,” said Lauren Ratner, Co-Founder of rhode. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen incredible growth with the rhode community across Europe. Last summer, we brought the world of rhode to Mallorca with our beach club, and this summer, our rhode summer stations in the Amalfi Coast and Copenhagen gave us the opportunity to connect with our communities in Italy and Denmark in person for the first time. The response has been remarkable, and this next chapter with Sephora allows us to build on that momentum with our customers wherever they are.”
Sephora will carry rhode’s core product assortment of high-performance skincare and hybrid makeup, including its new Pocket Bronze and Highlight Milk collections. To celebrate the launch, rhode will also offer exclusive items at Sephora in Europe and the U.K., including fan-favorite Pretzel Peptide Lip Tint, which is being added to the global core line up, with early access at Sephora in Europe and the U.K. There are also two limited edition Sephora-exclusive items in Europe and the U.K.: a new Baby Bubble Bag in Pretzel and the return of the beloved Peptide Lip Tint in Lemontini in very limited quantities. All three will be available across Europe and the U.K. in select stores and online.
rhode is exclusively available at Sephora in Europe, building on the strong partnership established through historic and unprecedented sales performance in Sephora U.S., Canada and the U.K. following launch in 2025. To date, rhode is the number one beauty brand in Sephora North America and the U.K.
“We are thrilled to bring rhode to continental Europe following its record-breaking success in the U.S. and the U.K. rhode’s social-first model, which has fueled viral demand and built a highly engaged global audience, resonates with Sephora's commitment to bringing innovative and culturally relevant brands to our beauty community in the region. This launch further strengthens Sephora’s role as a leading platform and partner for the most influential brands and creators in the region,” said Catherine Spindler, Sephora’s President of Europe & Middle East.
There are strong synergies between rhode’s community-driven approach and Sephora’s global reach. Community engagement is what rhode does best, and this partnership is expected to introduce the brand to a broader audience of beauty consumers across Europe.
“Expanding rhode with Sephora in Europe is a key moment in our journey to being a truly global, omnichannel business. We’re bringing our products to more countries, but we’re also bringing the world of rhode to life for millions of new consumers, giving them the opportunity to discover, experience and engage with the brand in person. Sephora has been an extraordinary partner in helping us build that connection, and we’re excited to continue that momentum across Europe,” said Nick Vlahos, CEO of rhode.
This expansion into new retail territories comes one year after e.l.f. Beauty’s (NYSE: ELF) $1B acquisition of rhode in 2025, and signals the next chapter of rhode as they look to bring the brand to more people around the world.
About rhode
rhode is a collection of curated skincare and hybrid makeup essentials with intentional, efficacious formulas. Founded by Hailey Rhode Bieber after years of working with leading makeup artists and skincare experts, rhode was born from a desire for a simplified daily routine of high-performance products. Developed with leading dermatologists and chemists for a variety of skin types, rhode’s formulas feature purposeful ingredients at efficacious levels that nourish the skin barrier over time. The brand extends beyond its products to create a distinct world of rhode through high-impact campaigns, IRL activations, and community engagement. rhode is vegan, dermatologist-tested, and double-certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA as cruelty-free. In 2025, rhode was acquired by e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF) for $1 billion. rhode currently ships to all 50 U.S. states, U.S. territories and APO/FPO addresses, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and select European countries. In the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Europe, rhode is available at freestanding Sephora locations and on Sephora.com, in Australia and New Zealand, rhode is available at select freestanding MECCA locations and on MECCA.com, with product availability varying by location. For more information, visit www.rhodeskin.com.
About Sephora
Sephora is the world’s leading global prestige beauty retail brand. With 55,000 passionate employees operating in 37 markets, Sephora connects customers and beauty brands within the world’s most trusted and dynamic beauty community. We serve a highly engaged community of hundreds of millions of beauty followers across our global omnichannel network of more than 3,400 stores and iconic flagships, and our e-commerce and digital platforms, offering personalized and immersive seamless experiences across every touchpoint. With our curation of more than 500 brands and our own label, Sephora Collection, we offer the most unique and diverse range of prestige beauty products, tailored to our customers’ needs from fragrance to make-up, haircare, skincare and beyond, as we constantly reimagine the world of prestige beauty. Since SEPHORA’s inception in 1969 in Limoges, France, and as part of the LVMH Group since 1997, the brand has been disrupting the prestige beauty retail industry. Today, they continue to break with convention to drive their mission: champion a world of inspiration and inclusion where everyone can celebrate their beauty. For more information, visit www.sephora.com.
rhode launches into Sephora across Europe
