South Korea requests apology from Ukraine over POW transfer disclosure

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's disclosure of the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea has led to a diplomatic dispute between Seoul and Kyiv. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday threatened Ukraine with "further measures" if Kyiv does not issue a public apology for revealing that North Korean POWs were sent to South Korea. Seoul has reacted strongly to Ukraine's disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia, warning that Pyongyang could target their families. Last week, Lee expressed his regret shortly after Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer of the soldiers during a speech at the United Nations. Since then, South Korea and Ukraine have been in disagreement, with Seoul demanding an apology from Kyiv. "If the refusal to acknowledge the facts and issue a public apology continues, we will take additional measures," Lee stated in a post on X. Lee also accused Kyiv of portraying him as a "liar." South Korea claims that Kyiv violated an agreement to keep the transfer of the two soldiers to Seoul confidential for their protection. However, Ukrainian officials have denied that such an agreement existed. Ukrainian media on Thursday quoted Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha as saying that Kyiv is working to repair relations with Seoul. "I would not like to call this an incident. Let's say, it's a diplomatic misunderstanding," Sybiha told journalists at an event, according to Ukrainian news agency RBC-Ukraine. "South Korea is an important country for us. And I very much hope for momentum, continued cooperation, and concrete results that we are indeed achieving with them," he added.