South Korea has received apology from Ukraine but considers it insufficient, - country’s Foreign Ministry
South Korea received an apology from Ukraine for disclosing information about the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul.
According to Censor.NET, citing Yonhap, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun made this statement.
Details
At the same time, he noted that the apologies do not meet Seoul's expectations.
"I have been in continuous contact with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha over the matter, and he has expressed how difficult the situation is.
"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," the minister said.
Cho Hyun added that the government is considering various options, including the possibility of recalling South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine, Park Hee-chang, as suggested by one of the lawmakers.
Background
- During his address to the UN General Assembly, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had recently handed over to South Korea two North Korean prisoners of war captured on the battlefield.
- In December 2025, two North Korean soldiers, who had been captured by Ukrainian defenders during combat operations, wrote a letter requesting permission to travel to South Korea. On January 11, 2025, it was reported that Ukrainian forces had captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
- Subsequently, South Korea accused Zelenskyy of disclosing a secret operation involving the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war.
- The Office of the President later denied that Ukraine had agreed with South Korea not to disclose information about the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war.
- Despite this, Seoul stated that it was demanding an apology.
- On August 28, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Andrii Veshkin, Ukraine’s acting ambassador to Seoul.
- South Korea threatened Ukraine with "additional measures" over the North Korean prisoners of war.
