Row between Ukraine, South Korea mounts over North Korean POWs

South Korea’s ⁠President accused Ukraine of ⁠undermining him and called connected Kyiv to apologise.

South Korea’s ⁠President ⁠Lee Jae Myung has expressed choler astatine Ukraine implicit comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy successful a code astatine the UN which appeared to uncover a concealed woody by which Kyiv would transportation North Korean prisoners of warfare to Seoul.

In a societal media station connected Friday, Lee accused Ukraine of undermining him and ⁠warned that Zelenskyy’s ⁠remarks astir an imminent subject clash betwixt North and South Korea ‌amounted to invoking the hazard of warfare connected ‌the ‌Korean Peninsula.

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The diplomatic enactment pits 2 US-aligned states with almighty militaries against each other, perchance complicating US efforts to enactment up a agreed planetary beforehand to incorporate Russia, China and North Korea.

The South Korean president besides expressed ⁠regret implicit Ukraine’s effect and called connected Kyiv to admit the statement and apologise.

“This is simply a substance concerning the grant of the Republic of Korea’s radical and nation, we cannot place it,” Lee said.

South Korean Lawmaker Yu Yong-weon explains pictures, showing 2 North Korean POWs who were precocious transferred from Ukraine to South Korea. Face of POWs are blurred owed to information crushed by the source. [File: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters]

Lee besides referred to an interrogation with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha published by RBC-Ukraine and different Ukrainian outlets connected Thursday which sought to trim bilateral tensions.

Sybiha had said helium would “not similar to telephone it an incident”, describing it alternatively arsenic a “diplomatic misunderstanding”.

“South Korea is an important state for us. And I precise overmuch anticipation for momentum, continued cooperation, and factual results that we are so achieving with them,” helium said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during the UN General Assembly that Kyiv had transferred 2 captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea aft they were caught warring for Russia successful the Kursk region.

South Korea demanded an authoritative apology and mentation from Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of disclosing the transportation of the 2 North Korean POWs to Seoul.

South Korea’s elder statesmanlike caput Seong Ghi-hong said successful a connection that Ukraine had repeatedly discussed the prisoners’ transportation with Seoul done assorted channels and had requested secrecy. However, Kyiv has said nary secrecy statement existed.