SEOUL — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned Friday that Seoul will take “additional measures” if Ukraine continues to refuse an official apology over the public disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war, Yonhap and Channel News Asia reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed at the U.N. General Assembly that Kyiv had transferred two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region to South Korea. Seoul says the transfer was covered by a confidentiality understanding to protect the prisoners; Ukrainian officials have denied any secrecy agreement. Lee accused Kyiv of making him a “liar,” expressed “serious regret” over Ukrainian remarks about an imminent inter-Korean clash, and said the dispute touched “the dignity of the South Korean people.”
Foreign ministers Cho Hyun and Andrii Sybiha have been discussing the tone and content of a possible Ukrainian response, a senior Seoul official said. Sybiha called the episode a “diplomatic misunderstanding” and said South Korea remains important to Ukraine, RBC-Ukraine reported. The prisoners were captured in January 2025 and arrived in South Korea in mid-September, according to officials.
Sources: BBC News, Yonhap News Agency, Channel News Asia
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