Lee's growing social media use leads to another diplomatic dispute

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is encountering another diplomatic disagreement due to his increasing presence on social media, specifically on X (formerly known as Twitter). This latest dispute is with Ukraine, following a previous conflict with Israel in April. To tackle sensitive foreign and domestic matters, Lee has been ramping up his social media activity.

On Friday, Lee cautioned Ukraine that Seoul would implement further measures unless Kyiv acknowledged and publicly apologized for allegedly disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea. The dispute originated when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed in a U.N. General Assembly speech on September 23 that the soldiers had been sent to South Korea. The men, who were captured while fighting for Russia, subsequently expressed a wish to relocate to the South.

Seoul contended that the disclosure breached an agreement aimed at safeguarding the prisoners and their families. Ukraine, on the other hand, denied the existence of any such arrangement and characterized the situation as a diplomatic misunderstanding. Initially, Lee expressed his disappointment with Zelenskyy's announcement on X. However, his criticism escalated further as the situation unfolded.