Seoul, Kyiv at odds over POWs
Peaceful above the surface, as if nothing had happened, but with tensions constantly brewing underneath. Managing bilateral relations smoothly to prevent a catastrophe is the art of diplomacy. That artistry is lacking in South Korea-Ukraine relations, causing their ties to become strained. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an unexpected announcement about the status of two North Korean…
Seoul and Kyiv are currently at odds regarding the custody of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an unexpected announcement about the situation during his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week. While condemning North Korea for sending troops to Russia, Zelenskyy revealed that the two North Korean soldiers had been transferred to South Korea.
Zelenskyy described the predicament faced by the captured soldiers as difficult, mentioning that one of them attempted suicide upon realizing his fate. Despite the South Koreans being aware of the negotiations for the prisoners' transfer, the exact details of their arrival in Seoul were not widely known. Prior to this revelation, both North Korean soldiers had expressed their desire to defect to South Korea.
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- Seoul, Kyiv at odds over POWs koreatimes.co.kr
