South Korea's Foreign Ministry has summoned Ukraine's Acting Ambassador Andriy Vieshkin after Kyiv released information regarding the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war.
“First Deputy Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo conveyed Seoul's stern stance on the issue to Vieshkin,” the Yonhap news agency quoted the agency's statement.
Last week, while addressing the UN General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had handed over two North Korean soldiers, captured last year, to South Korea.
South Korea subsequently stated that the transfer was intended to remain confidential for the safety of the prisoners of war and their families. Seoul maintains that Ukraine had agreed not to disclose information regarding the handover.
Later, Ukrainian media, citing a source in the Office of the President, reported that the Ukrainian side denied the existence of any confidentiality agreement with Seoul.
The South Korean administration stated that such a denial "gravely damages" mutual trust and damages friendly relations between the two countries.
The Ukrainian government itself had insisted on keeping the transfer confidential, fearing domestic criticism over the loss of an opportunity to exchange the North Korean POWs for Ukrainian ones. Seoul, he said, agreed to confidentiality out of concern for the safety of the POWs and their families, as well as for diplomatic and security reasons.
Meanwhile, a representative of the South Korean presidential administration stated that Zelenskyy had disclosed information about the transfer without prior explanation or consultation, despite what Seoul claims was a mutual agreement.
