South Korean President Lee Jae-myung warned of unspecified further measures on Friday unless Ukraine issues a public apology for unilaterally disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul. The dispute centers on whether a confidentiality agreement existed regarding the soldiers, who were captured fighting for Russia. While Seoul maintains that Kyiv requested the transfer be kept secret to protect the soldiers' families and to facilitate future prisoner swaps with Russia, Ukrainian officials have claimed there was no such agreement.
The standoff follows a disclosure made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the United Nations General Assembly last week. President Lee stated that the public revelation undermined the dignity of the Republic of Korea and accused Kyiv of making him appear to be a liar. Lee also expressed regret over comments from Ukraine that he described as prayers for the outbreak of a military clash on the Korean Peninsula.
For Ukraine, the situation presents a delicate diplomatic challenge with a key international partner. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha characterized the conflict as a diplomatic misunderstanding on Thursday, stating that Kyiv is working to resolve the issue in the near future. He emphasized that South Korea remains an important country for Ukraine and expressed hope for continued momentum and concrete results in their bilateral relationship.
Domestic pressure in South Korea has intensified the situation, with opposition politicians accusing President Lee of attempting to hide the transfer to appease Pyongyang. The North Korean soldiers involved were among thousands deployed to support Russia's war effort. Their identity became public after being photographed by South Korean media upon arrival, raising concerns about potential retaliation by North Korea against their relatives.