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Seoul calls Ukraine’s apology over North Korean POW transfer insufficient
Коротко
South Korea said the apologies it received from Ukraine for disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war were not sufficient, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told a parliamentary hearing. Seoul is weighing additional measures, including recalling its ambassador to Ukraine. President Lee Jae Myung had threatened “additional measures” on October 2 if Kyiv did not acknowledge a confidentiality agreement and apologise officially.
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South Korea has received apologies from Ukraine for disclosing information about the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, but considers them insufficient, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said. Cho, speaking at a parliamentary hearing, said the messages he received contained apologies but that their level did not meet Seoul’s expectations. He said he is in constant contact on the matter with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, who told him how difficult the situation is. [ 1 , 2 ]
Cho said the South Korean government is now considering various options, including recalling South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine, Pak Ki Chan. He stressed that no final decision on the matter has been taken. Meduza quoted him saying Seoul intends to take “resolute measures”. [ 1 , 2 ]
The dispute follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s remarks at the UN General Assembly, where he said Ukraine had handed two North Koreans captured in early 2025 to South Korea. Seoul said the disclosure broke a confidentiality agreement and demanded an apology; South Korean authorities said the initiative for that agreement came from Ukraine itself. According to the South Korean side, the two soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025 during fighting in the Kursk region and arrived in South Korea in mid-September 2026. [ 1 , 2 ]
On October 2, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung threatened Ukraine with “additional measures” if Kyiv did not acknowledge the existence of the agreement not to disclose information about the transfer and did not issue an official apology. Lee says Ukraine itself demanded confidentiality during the transfer, but later made the information public and rejected the existence of any agreement. [ 1 ]
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on September 24 that the Kremlin was unaware of Kyiv’s intention to hand two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. He said prisoner matters are handled by the Defence Ministry and the special services. [ 1 ]
Почему это важно
The dispute puts a rare public strain on South Korea’s dealings with Ukraine while Seoul is already pressing Kyiv over the handling of North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces. A decision to recall the ambassador would mark a further step in the row, though Seoul says no final decision has been made.
Ключевые факты
- South Korea received apologies from Ukraine over the disclosure of information about the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war, but considered them insufficient, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Cho said he is in constant contact on the issue with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Seoul is considering various options, including recalling South Korean ambassador to Ukraine Pak Ki Chan. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Cho said no final decision on that has been made. [ 1 ]
- President Lee Jae Myung said on October 2 that Seoul would take “additional measures” if Kyiv did not acknowledge a confidentiality agreement on the transfer and issue an official apology. [ 1 ]
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the transfer of the two North Korean prisoners to South Korea at the UN General Assembly. [ 1 , 2 ]
- According to the South Korean side, the two were captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025 during fighting in the Kursk region and arrived in South Korea in mid-September 2026. [ 1 ]
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on September 24 that the Kremlin was unaware of Kyiv’s intention to hand two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. [ 1 ]
Подтверждено несколькими источниками
- South Korea’s Foreign Ministry received apologies from Ukraine over the disclosure and judged them insufficient. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Seoul is weighing measures including recalling its ambassador to Ukraine, with no final decision taken. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea at the UN General Assembly. [ 1 , 2 ]
Пока неясно
- Whether Seoul will recall its ambassador to Ukraine or take other measures, and what those measures would be. Cho said only that options are under consideration and no final decision has been made; the documents do not name any decided step.
- Whether Ukraine and South Korea had an agreement to keep the transfer confidential, and who requested it. President Lee Jae Myung says Ukraine itself asked for confidentiality and later rejected the existence of such an agreement; the documents do not record a Ukrainian response to that claim.
- The precise content and level of the apologies Ukraine sent. Cho said the messages contained apologies that did not meet Seoul’s expectations, without describing their wording; only one document reports this level of detail.
Что пишут местные СМИ
Хронология, местное время
- Ukrainian forces capture two North Korean soldiers during fighting in the Kursk region, according to the South Korean side. [ 1 ]
- The two North Korean prisoners arrive in South Korea. [ 1 ]
- President Volodymyr Zelensky tells the UN General Assembly that Ukraine handed two North Koreans captured in early 2025 to South Korea. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the Kremlin is unaware of Kyiv’s intention to transfer two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. [ 1 ]
- President Lee Jae Myung threatens Ukraine with “additional measures” unless Kyiv acknowledges an agreement not to disclose the transfer and issues an official apology. [ 1 ]
- Vedomosti reports Seoul’s assessment that the apologies were insufficient. [ 1 ]
- Meduza reports the same assessment and quotes Cho saying Seoul intends to take “resolute measures”. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant reports Seoul’s assessment of the apologies. [ 3 ]