South Korea Warns of 'Further Action' Amid Ukraine Prisoner Row

South Korea has threatened unspecified "further action" if Ukraine does not issue a public apology for revealing that two North Korean prisoners of war had been sent to the South. The disclosure was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN General Assembly last week, a move that angered Seoul, which stated the information was intended to remain secret.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the situation as a "diplomatic misunderstanding" on Thursday and indicated that Kyiv was "working" to resolve it. However, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung rejected this characterization on X, asserting that the issue pertained to "the dignity of the Korean people and the nation."

Lee's office previously stated that Ukraine had requested the transfer be kept confidential, partly to protect the North Korean soldiers' families and to avoid criticism that Ukraine had forfeited an opportunity to exchange the soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners of war. Zelensky's office countered, claiming no such agreement for confidentiality existed between the two countries, further intensifying the dispute.

President Lee faced domestic criticism following Zelensky's disclosure, with South Korea's opposition accusing him of concealing the transfer to appease Pyongyang. The two North Korean soldiers, who were among thousands supporting Russia in the Ukraine war, had reportedly expressed a desire to be sent to South Korea to local media.

In comments to Ukrainian media on Thursday, Minister Sybiha expressed hope for a swift resolution, stating, "We are working on it. For us, South Korea is an important country. And I really hope for momentum, continuation, and concrete results that we are truly achieving with them."

President Lee, in response, accused Kyiv of "attempting to provoke a war on the Korean Peninsula." He posted on X, "We express serious regret that, instead of acknowledging the facts of the agreement and apologising, they are talking about an imminent military clash between the North and South."

While Seoul has shown sympathy towards Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion, it has maintained its long-standing policy of not providing lethal weapons to nations involved in active warfare.