SOUTH KOREA CONSIDERS RESPONSE AFTER REJECTING UKRAINE’S APOLOGY
A diplomatic dispute between Ukraine and South Korea is deepening after Seoul said Kyiv’s apology over the disclosure of two transferred North Korean prisoners of war was insufficient.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun confirmed that messages from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha contained an apology. However, Cho said it did not meet Seoul’s expectations and warned that the government is considering “firm measures.”
Those options include the possible recall of South Korean Ambassador Park Hee-chang from Ukraine. No decision to recall him has been announced.
The dispute began after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly revealed that two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia had been transferred to South Korea. Seoul maintains that both governments understood the operation would remain confidential. Ukraine has disputed the existence of a formal nondisclosure agreement.
For South Korea, the issue extends beyond diplomatic protocol. Seoul argues that publicizing the transfer could endanger the former prisoners and their relatives who remain inside North Korea. It could also complicate the South Korean government’s attempts to manage relations with Pyongyang.
For Ukraine, allowing the soldiers to reach South Korea protected them from being returned to a regime where they could face severe punishment. However, the public announcement appears to have damaged trust with one of Ukraine’s most important partners in Asia.
Both countries have strong reasons to prevent the dispute from escalating. Ukraine needs South Korean assistance and expertise, while Seoul benefits from Ukraine’s firsthand intelligence about North Korean troops, weapons and battlefield cooperation with Russia. A disagreement over how the transfer was announced should not be allowed to benefit Moscow or Pyongyang.