South Korea said Friday its Russia sanctions and export-control policy was unchanged as it continued talks with Ukraine over the public disclosure of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs).
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said during an Oct. 30 briefing that consultations with Kyiv were continuing. Seoul would keep its bilateral response distinct from its participation in international efforts to support Ukraine, he said. Wi added that establishing a fuller account of events was needed to repair trust and improve ties.
The disagreement concerns whether the transfer was supposed to remain confidential. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his Sept. 23 address to the U.N. General Assembly that Ukraine had sent the two POWs to South Korea. South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Sept. 28 that the governments had reached a clear understanding to keep the transfer confidential. The Foreign Ministry sought an official explanation and an apology, along with steps to prevent a recurrence.
Ukraine’s presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn denied that Kyiv had agreed to keep the transfer secret, Ukrainska Pravda reported. Seoul’s account and Lytvyn’s denial differ on whether a confidentiality understanding existed before Zelenskyy’s announcement.
The Foreign Ministry announced Oct. 8 that South Korea would recall its ambassador to Ukraine while continuing consultations. Wi said the recall and a partial withdrawal of embassy personnel also took local security conditions into account. His briefing confirmed that consultations with Ukraine were still underway.
Wi said Seoul has maintained sanctions and export controls on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine, coordinating the approach with other countries. He acknowledged that the policy carries costs for South Korean citizens and businesses but did not estimate the amount.
The Korea Herald reported that an unnamed senior South Korean presidential official said Seoul wanted to resolve the dispute. The official said South Korea’s contacts with Russia remained subject to international sanctions and other restrictions, and rejected suggestions that Seoul had shifted toward Moscow. The newspaper also reported that the official said the two governments were discussing a way to resolve the matter.
