South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung has accused Ukraine of undermining him and has called for an apology from Kyiv. This follows comments made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a speech at the UN, which suggested a secret agreement for Ukraine to transfer North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.
In a social media post on Friday, Lee expressed anger over Zelenskyy’s remarks regarding a potential military clash between North and South Korea, stating that they invoked the risk of war on the Korean Peninsula. The diplomatic dispute involves two US-aligned nations with significant military capabilities, potentially complicating US efforts to maintain a united front against Russia, China, and North Korea.
Lee also expressed regret over Ukraine's response and reiterated the need for Kyiv to acknowledge the agreement and apologize, emphasizing that it concerns the honor of the Republic of Korea.
In an interview with RBC-Ukraine and other outlets, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha sought to downplay the situation, referring to it as a “diplomatic misunderstanding” rather than an incident. He noted the importance of South Korea and expressed hope for continued cooperation.
Zelenskyy mentioned during the UN General Assembly that Kyiv had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea after they were found fighting for Russia in the Kursk region. South Korea has demanded an official apology and clarification from Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of revealing the transfer details. South Korea’s senior presidential secretary Seong Ghi-hong stated that Ukraine had previously discussed the prisoners’ transfer with Seoul and requested confidentiality, while Kyiv maintains that no secrecy agreement was in place.