South Korea deems Ukraine's apology insufficient over leaked North Korean POW transfer
Ukraine has apologized to South Korea for publicly disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, but South Korea says the apology falls short and is considering firm measures, including recalling its ambassador from Kyiv.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Ukraine has issued an apology over its public disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, but that Seoul views the apology as inadequate given the circumstances.
Cho said he has been in ongoing contact with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha regarding the matter, and that Sybiha acknowledged the difficulty of the situation. According to Cho, the messages he received from Sybiha did include an apology, but it did not meet the level South Korea expected, prompting Seoul to consider firm countermeasures.
Possible consequences
Cho indicated that South Korea's government is weighing several options in response, including the possibility of recalling its ambassador from Kyiv.
Background
The dispute stems from a September 23 announcement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN General Assembly, in which he revealed that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean soldiers, captured in early 2025, to South Korea. Following that disclosure, Seoul demanded an apology from Kyiv, saying the two sides had agreed to keep the transfer confidential and that Ukraine itself had originally proposed that arrangement.
