South Korea Seeks Stronger Ukrainian Apology Over Prisoner Disclosure

(MENAFN) South Korea said Tuesday that an apology from Ukraine over the public disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war did not meet Seoul’s expectations, according to reports.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said he had continued communicating with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha regarding the dispute and had received messages that included an apology.

“Messages that I received (from Sybiha) included an apology. But there is a difference from the level we expect, so we intend to take firm measures,” Cho told lawmakers.

South Korean authorities are now considering possible responses, including the option of recalling their ambassador to Ukraine, Park Hee-chang, Cho said.

The disagreement emerged after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed last month that two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting alongside Russian forces had been transferred to South Korea.

Seoul said the transfer was supposed to remain confidential under an understanding between the two countries, citing concerns over the safety of the soldiers and their relatives in North Korea. South Korean officials also said Ukraine had initially asked for the information to be kept private.

Kyiv later rejected the existence of such an agreement, disputing Seoul’s account of the confidentiality arrangement.

Sybiha had previously referred to the disagreement as a “diplomatic misunderstanding” and said he hoped the issue could be settled in the near future.

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