What happened
South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung has threatened to take further action if Ukraine does not apologize for revealing that two North Korean prisoners of war had been sent to South Korea. The disclosure was made by Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN general assembly, which angered Seoul as they claimed the move was meant to be kept secret.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the situation as a diplomatic misunderstanding and stated that Kyiv is working to resolve it. However, President Lee rejected this characterization, stating that it concerns the dignity of the Korean people and the nation.
The two North Korean soldiers had expressed their desire to be sent to South Korea, and Ukraine's decision to disclose the information has led to a diplomatic row between the two countries. South Korea has been sympathetic to Ukraine since Russia's invasion but has maintained its policy of not providing lethal weapons to countries engaged in active war.
President Lee accused Ukraine of attempting to provoke a war on the Korean Peninsula, and his office claimed that Ukraine had requested the move to be kept secret to protect the North Koreans' families and avoid criticism. The situation has escalated, with both countries exchanging statements and accusations.
