South Korea Demands Ukraine Apology Over North Korean POW Disclosure — SkimNews
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- Lee Jae Myung demanded a public apology from Ukraine and threatened unspecified "additional measures" after Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer of two North Korean POWs to Seoul, accusing Kyiv of making him look "like a liar" in an X post.
- Ukraine denied any non-disclosure agreement existed, with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha calling the dispute "a diplomatic misunderstanding" while confirming daily contact with his South Korean counterpart.
- Seoul says the two North Korean soldiers were transferred last month from among thousands sent to fight in Russia, and that South Korea wanted to handle the case "in a low-key manner" to avoid complicating inter-Korean dialogue.
- South Korean officials believe Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer to build domestic support in South Korea for missile defence and other weapons systems for Ukraine — a step Seoul has so far refused to take.
- South Korea has provided $445 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine since 2022 and pledged another $100 million in July at the NATO summit in Turkiye, while maintaining a policy against supplying weapons to conflict zones.
- Kim Yo Jong called South Korean demands over recent DMZ mine injuries "utterly pathetic" and said North Korea intends to cut ties with the South permanently, compounding Lee's diplomatic challenges.
- Analysts including Moon Seong Mook and Leif-Eric Easley say Lee's threat is likely rhetorical, since severing ties would cost Seoul battlefield intelligence on Russia-North Korea cooperation and drone warfare experience.
Why it matters: The clash traps Seoul between competing imperatives: $545 million in committed Ukraine aid since 2022, its inter-Korean dialogue push, and intelligence-sharing value from Kyiv. Analysts cited in the source say Lee's threat is rhetorical — cutting Ukraine off would forfeit battlefield intelligence on Russia-North Korea cooperation and damage standing with Western partners.
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