NEW: 🇰🇷 South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has warned Ukraine that Seoul could take “additional measures”…
Armed Conflict · · South Korea
NEW: 🇰🇷 South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has warned Ukraine that Seoul could take “additional measures” unless Kyiv acknowledges a confidentiality agreement over the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers and issues a public apology.
The dispute began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly announced at the UN General Assembly that the two North Korean POWs, captured while fighting for Russia, had been transferred to South Korea.
Seoul says Ukraine had agreed to keep the transfer confidential to protect the soldiers and their families. Ukraine has denied that such an agreement existed.
Lee said South Korea had expressed its concerns with the utmost courtesy, but accused Kyiv of denying the agreement and effectively portraying the South Korean president as a liar. He said Seoul had requested acknowledgment of the agreement and an apology.
Lee also expressed grave regret over Ukrainian remarks referring to the possibility of an imminent military clash between North and South Korea, accusing Kyiv of speaking in a way that could encourage war on the Korean Peninsula.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has described the dispute as a diplomatic misunderstanding and said Kyiv wants to resolve the issue quickly, stressing that South Korea is an important partner.
The two countries’ foreign ministers are now discussing how Ukraine could respond to Seoul’s demand for an apology, according to a senior South Korean official. Seoul says it wants to protect the relationship with Kyiv while resolving the dispute.
The exact nature of any additional measures has not been specified. South Korea has provided Ukraine with humanitarian, financial and non-lethal support, including a further $100 million package announced in July.
Source: @GeoInsider
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