S. Korea, Ukraine had no discussion on timing of disclosing N.K. POW repatriation: diplomat

South Korea and Ukraine agreed to keep details of repatriating North Korean prisoners of war confidential, a South Korean diplomat revealed. Yoon Ji-wan, the charge d'affaires at the South Korean Embassy in Ukraine, addressed this during a parliamentary audit by the subcommittee on foreign affairs in Poland. The diplomat clarified that there were no talks about a specific timeline for disclosing the information, yet they did agree on maintaining confidentiality for as long as possible.

The Ukrainian Embassy in Ukraine was surprised when President Zelenskyy announced the repatriation during his address to the U.N. General Assembly on September 23. Yoon expressed that Ukraine has yet to explain the rationale behind Zelenskyy's disclosure. Ukrainian officials have faced criticism for their lack of internal coordination and the sudden breach of confidentiality.

Despite the accusations, Ukraine has not refuted the existence of a non-disclosure agreement, implying they cannot deny its existence. The frosty relations between South Korea and Ukraine have escalated following Zelenskyy's revelation; Seoul has accused Kyiv of breaching the pact, while Ukraine maintains that no such agreement existed.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha claimed the matter was closed, refusing South Korea's demand for an apology. South Korea recalled its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang, following the diplomatic rift. Yoon emphasized that formalizing a diplomatic agreement in writing would equate to a treaty, making it challenging to provide concrete proof of diplomatic discussions.

Despite the ongoing tension, both nations recognize the repatriation of POWs as a significant achievement and stress the importance of resolving the issue wisely to maintain stability and trust in their bilateral relations.