Why South Korea is demanding an apology from Ukraine over North Korean PoWs
Seoul says Kyiv agreed to a nondisclosure agreement over the prisoners but broke it.
On Monday, South Korea's foreign ministry summoned Andrii Vieshkin, Ukraine's acting ambassador to Seoul, in response to Kyiv's announcement of transferring two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had disclosed this information during a United Nations address last week. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his office argued that Ukraine had violated a nondisclosure agreement, aiming to protect the soldiers from potential dangers they might face if their transfer was disclosed.
This claim was contradicted by a Ukrainian presidential source, which denied the existence of such an agreement.
Following the disclosure, Ukrainian media outlets reported a Ukrainian presidential source denying the agreement with Seoul. The foreign ministry's action came a day after Cheong Wa Dae, South Korea's presidential office, expressed strong regret over Ukraine's decision.
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