What Ukraine doesn't understand about 2 Koreas
When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23 that Kyiv had transferred two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea, Seoul's reaction was swift and unusually sharp. President Lee Jae Myung accused Ukraine of breaking a nondisclosure agreement and the presidential office demanded an official apology. The Foreign Ministry summoned…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed on September 23 to the United Nations General Assembly that his country had handed over two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea. Seoul's response was immediate and rather stern. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung demanded an official apology, stating that Ukraine had violated a confidentiality agreement.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine's charge d'affaires. Initially, Kyiv denied the existence of any such pact, but Seoul labeled the denial as a "falsehood" that significantly damaged trust between the two nations. This was not just an ordinary diplomatic issue; it signified a deeper misunderstanding. The reasoning behind Kyiv's decision is not complex.
Ukraine transferred the two strategically valuable POWs after several months of discreet negotiations - soldiers among the estimated over 10,000 North Koreans fighting for Russia. Ukraine had repeatedly requested lethal weapons from South Korea, including the Cheongung-II air defense system in August, but all requests were denied.
Analysts widely interpreted the public disclosure of the POW transfer as an attempt to pressure South Korea into granting their weapon requests.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- What Ukraine doesn't understand about 2 Koreas koreatimes.co.kr
