Seoul says Ukraine sent apology message over POW disclosure, but it falls short
Version 3: South Korea’s foreign minister said Ukraine had sent a message containing an apology but that it fell short of Seoul’s expectations, and said Seoul is reviewing recalling its ambassador to Ukraine while denying any weapons-support promise.
In short
South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Oct 6 that Ukraine’s foreign minister had sent a message containing an apology over the disclosure of the repatriation of two North Korean soldiers, but that it fell short of the level Seoul expects, and that Seoul is reviewing measures including recalling its ambassador to Ukraine. Cho also said Ukraine first requested that the repatriation be kept confidential and later denied that an agreement existed, and that South Korea never promised weapons support in return. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct 4 that Seoul had asked for the handover, adding that under South Korea’s constitution the soldiers are also South Korean citizens.
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South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Oct 6 that she had received a message from Ukraine’s foreign minister containing an apology over the disclosure of the repatriation of two North Korean soldiers to South Korea, but that it fell short of what Seoul expects. “There is a difference from the level we have in mind, so we intend to take firm measures,” Yonhap quoted her as telling a National Assembly audit of the Foreign Ministry. Asked whether Ukraine had apologized, she said, “I cannot say that there was none.” [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]
Cho said Seoul is reviewing measures that include recalling South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine, replying “we are reviewing that option as well” after a lawmaker proposed it. Dong-A Ilbo and Yonhap gave different names for the ambassador. Cho also said South Korea never promised weapons support or other compensation in connection with the handover, saying she had consistently explained how important it is to defend a liberal democratic system. [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]
Cho said Ukraine first requested that the repatriation be kept confidential, citing the impact on prisoner exchanges with Russia and the treatment of third-country prisoners, and that Seoul agreed, considering the safety of the individuals and their families and diplomatic and security factors. She said Ukraine later disclosed the matter unilaterally and denied that an agreement existed, and that the government expressed strong regret and demanded an official explanation and apology. [ 10 ]
Asked why Zelensky made the repatriation public, Cho said she was offering a personal interpretation and suggested he may have wanted to show at the United Nations that Ukraine had acted correctly as a liberal democracy. [ 13 , 14 ]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct 4 that South Korea asked Ukraine to hand over the captured North Korean soldiers, saying that under South Korea’s constitution they are also South Korean citizens, according to Reuters and Ukraine’s Suspilne as reported by Korean outlets. Korean outlets noted that his remarks did not mention President Lee Jae-myung’s demand for a public apology. Lee said on Oct 2 on X that Ukraine had requested confidentiality and that the two sides had agreed, then disclosed the repatriation unilaterally, and warned of further measures if Ukraine refused to acknowledge the facts and apologize. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 ]
Zelensky also said Russia is sharing technology with North Korea, including jet-engine drones, adding that he believed this was in return for North Korean missile support while saying he did not know about ballistic missiles. He said North Korean troops sent to Russia had learned to operate drones and to defend against electronic warfare. [ 2 , 5 , 7 ]
Why it matters
The dispute over how the repatriation was made public remains unresolved, with Seoul saying an apology it received is insufficient and weighing steps against Ukraine’s envoy. For a government that has supported Kyiv, the row adds friction to a relationship also shaped by North Korea’s military ties to Russia. The documents give no indication of when or how the two sides might settle it.
Key facts
- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Oct 6 that she received a message from Ukraine’s foreign minister containing an apology, but that there is a difference from the level Seoul has in mind, and that Seoul intends to take firm measures. [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]
- Cho said Seoul is reviewing measures including recalling South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine, after a lawmaker proposed the step. [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]
- Cho said Ukraine first requested confidentiality over the repatriation, considering the impact on prisoner exchanges with Russia and the treatment of third-country prisoners, and that Seoul agreed; she said Ukraine later disclosed it unilaterally and denied the agreement existed. [ 10 ]
- Cho said South Korea never promised weapons support or other compensation in connection with the handover. [ 11 , 12 , 14 ]
- Zelensky said on Oct 4 that South Korea asked Ukraine to hand over the captured North Korean soldiers, adding that under South Korea’s constitution they are also South Korean citizens. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- Zelensky’s remarks did not mention President Lee Jae-myung’s demand for a public apology or address the dispute over the undisclosed agreement, several outlets noted. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 ]
- President Lee said on Oct 2 on X that Ukraine had requested confidentiality and disclosed the repatriation unilaterally, and warned of further measures if Ukraine refused to acknowledge the facts and apologize. [ 3 , 5 , 7 ]
- Zelensky claimed Russia is sharing technology with North Korea, including jet-engine drones, saying he believed this was in return for North Korean missile support. [ 2 , 5 , 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct 4 that South Korea asked Ukraine to hand over the captured North Korean soldiers, saying that under South Korea’s constitution they are also South Korean citizens. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- Zelensky’s remarks did not mention President Lee Jae-myung’s demand for a public apology, and several outlets noted he did not address the dispute over the undisclosed agreement. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 ]
- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Oct 6 that Ukraine’s foreign minister had sent her a message that included an apology, but that it fell short of the level Seoul has in mind. [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]
- Cho said Seoul is reviewing measures including recalling its ambassador to Ukraine, and that South Korea never promised weapons support or other compensation for the handover. [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]
- President Lee Jae-myung said on Oct 2 on X that Ukraine had requested confidentiality and disclosed the repatriation unilaterally, and warned of further measures if Ukraine refused to acknowledge the facts and apologize. [ 3 , 5 , 7 ]
- Zelensky claimed Russia is sharing technology with North Korea, including jet-engine drones, saying he believed this was in return for North Korean missile support. [ 2 , 5 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- Whether a confidential agreement not to disclose the repatriation existed. Cho said Ukraine first requested confidentiality and later denied the agreement existed, while the documents contain no direct Ukrainian statement on the agreement itself.
- Whether Ukraine will issue an apology at the level Seoul expects, and what measures Seoul will take. Cho said the message received fell short and that firm measures are being considered, but the documents do not say what steps have been decided or when.
- Whether Russia is transferring jet-engine drone technology to North Korea. This is Zelensky’s assessment as reported by the outlets; the documents offer no evidence and he framed it as his belief.
- The name of South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine. Dong-A Ilbo names him Park Gi-chang while Yonhap names him Park Hee-chang; the documents do not reconcile the difference.
- Cho said Ukraine first requested confidentiality over the repatriation, for reasons including the impact on prisoner exchanges with Russia and the treatment of third-country prisoners, and that Seoul agreed; she said Ukraine later disclosed it unilaterally and denied the agreement existed, and that Seoul demanded an official explanation and apology. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Chosun Ilbo reports Zelensky’s remarks that South Korea requested the handover of the North Korean prisoners and that under South Korea’s constitution they are also South Koreans. [ 1 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports Zelensky’s claim that Russia is sharing advanced military technology, including jet-propelled drones, with North Korea. [ 2 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports that Zelensky did not mention President Lee’s demand for a public apology and cites Reuters describing the two countries as caught in a diplomatic dispute. [ 3 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports that the Foreign Ministry says the two countries’ foreign ministers are discussing how to announce Ukraine’s position including an apology. [ 5 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports Foreign Minister Cho Hyun saying Ukraine first requested confidentiality over the repatriation and later denied the agreement. [ 10 ]
- Yonhap reports Cho saying an apology message was received from Ukraine but falls short of Seoul’s expectations, and that recalling the ambassador is under review. [ 13 ]
- CBS NoCut News reports Cho saying no weapons support or other compensation was promised for the handover. [ 14 ]