President Lee Jae Myung has warned that the Seoul administration may take additional measures unless Ukraine issues a public apology concerning the revelation that two North Korean prisoners of war have been transferred to South Korea.
Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the information to the United Nations General Assembly last week, prompting alarm in Seoul, which stated the move was intended to remain confidential.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha characterized the situation as a diplomatic misunderstanding and indicated that Kyiv is working to resolve it.
Lee rejected this characterization on X, arguing it touches upon the dignity of the Korean people and nation.
Lee’s office reported last week that Ukraine had originally requested that the matter remain hidden, apparently to protect the families of the North Korean detainees and to avoid political backlash over perceived concessions in POW exchanges.
Zelensky’s office countered that no such confidentiality agreement existed, which heightened tensions further.
President Lee faced domestic criticism following the disclosure, with the ruling coalition portraying his response as an attempt to conceal the transfer of Northerners to avoid scrutiny.
The two soldiers, who were among thousands of North Koreans supporting Russia in the Ukraine war, had earlier told local media they wanted to be sent to South Korea.
Speaking to Ukrainian media on Thursday, Sybiha, the foreign minister, said he “hopes that this situation will be resolved in the very near future”.
“We are working on it. For us, South Korea is an important country. And I really hope for momentum, continuation, and concrete results that we are truly achieving with them,” he added.
Lee, in turn, accused Kyiv of attempting to “bring war on the Korean Peninsula.”
“We express serious regret that, instead of acknowledging the facts of the agreement and apologizing, they are talking about an imminent military clash between the North and South,” he posted online.
Seoul has remained supportive of Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, yet it continues to uphold a long‑standing policy against supplying lethal weaponry to any party involved in active hostilities.
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