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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned Friday that Seoul could take additional measures against Ukraine unless Kyiv acknowledges an alleged confidentiality agreement involving two North Korean prisoners of war and issues a public apology.
Lee said on X that South Korea would consider further action if Ukraine continued to deny the agreement. He also expressed “grave regret” over Ukrainian remarks concerning the possibility of a military clash between North and South Korea, arguing that such comments could encourage conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
The South Korea-Ukraine diplomatic dispute erupted after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy revealed during the United Nations General Assembly in September that Kyiv had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. The soldiers had been captured while fighting alongside Russian forces.
Seoul maintains that both governments agreed to keep the transfer confidential because disclosure could create security risks for the soldiers and their families. Ukrainian officials have disputed the existence of such an agreement, triggering a sharp response from Lee's administration.
Despite the escalating rhetoric, Ukraine has signaled that it wants to repair relations. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the controversy as a “diplomatic misunderstanding,” while South Korean and Ukrainian officials have been discussing ways to address Seoul's concerns. A senior South Korean Foreign Ministry official said the two sides were considering a Ukrainian statement that could include an apology.
The dispute comes as Lee seeks to reduce tensions with North Korea while dealing with heightened security concerns on the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea has provided humanitarian and financial assistance to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Analysts have noted that any additional measures could affect Seoul's support for Kyiv, although prolonged diplomatic tensions could also hurt South Korea's access to information about North Korean military activities linked to Russia.
The disagreement therefore poses a challenge for both governments as they seek to preserve cooperation while resolving the dispute over the North Korean POW transfer.
