South Korea’s president threatened unspecified further action on Friday unless Ukraine apologises publicly for disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war.
The big picture: Volodymyr Zelensky revealed the transfer at the UN General Assembly last week, and Seoul says the move was meant to stay secret.
- Lee wrote on X that the dispute concerns “the dignity of the Korean people and the nation,” and accused Kyiv of attempting to bring war on the Korean Peninsula.
Between the lines: Lee’s office says Ukraine asked for secrecy, partly to protect the soldiers’ families and partly to avoid criticism for passing up a prisoner exchange. Zelensky’s office says no such agreement existed.
Yes, but: Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha called the row a “diplomatic misunderstanding” and said Kyiv is working to resolve it, describing South Korea as an important country.
Why it matters: Seoul has backed Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion while holding to a policy of withholding lethal weapons, and this is their first open rupture.
