Ukrainian minister hopes to heal ‘misunderstanding’ with South Korea

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated on Thursday that his country is trying to resolve a diplomatic misunderstanding with South Korea over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners. The incident came to light when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the transfer during a speech at the U.N. General Assembly, causing South Korea to express its displeasure.

Seoul had intended for the transfer to remain a secret due to security, diplomatic, and humanitarian concerns. Sybiha told journalists, "I really hope that this situation will be resolved in the very near future and we are working on it." He expressed his hope for a positive relationship with South Korea, stating, "For us, South Korea is an important country."

South Korea demanded an explanation and apology from Ukraine, as well as an admission that Ukraine had falsely denied the agreement to keep the transfer confidential. South Korea sought to maintain the secrecy of the transfer due to potential risks to the prisoners and their families. North Korea, which has a strategic partnership with Russia, has sent an estimated 14,000 soldiers to help Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Zelenskyy has stated that over 8,000 North Korean troops remain in Russia, with an additional 10,000 being trained for future deployment.