President Lee Jae-myung demanded an apology in strong terms today (October 2) from Ukraine, following a dispute over the truth behind an alleged confidential agreement regarding the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war.
President Lee wrote on social media platform X today, "Regarding the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war, the Ukrainian side requested non-disclosure, to which we agreed, yet they unilaterally disclosed it." He strongly criticized Kyiv, stating, "When we asked them to acknowledge the agreement and apologize, they instead mentioned an imminent military clash between the two Koreas and attempted to trigger the outbreak of war on the Korean Peninsula. I express grave regret toward Ukraine."
The post also cited a media report quoting Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha as saying, "Let us leave it as a diplomatic misunderstanding," regarding President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's public disclosure of the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war during his address to the UN General Assembly on September 23.
President Lee pointed out, "When the president of the Republic of Korea politely expressed regret with the utmost courtesy, they made the head of state of a counterpart nation into a liar by claiming there was no agreement."
Expressing profound regret to the Ukrainian side, President Lee warned, "If they continue to refuse to acknowledge the facts and offer a public apology, we will take further measures."
He emphasized, "This is a matter concerning the dignity of the people and the nation of the Republic of Korea, and it cannot be overlooked."
Reported by Kim Minjeong | Video by Kim Kihyun | Design by Lee Sumin | Produced by SBS Digital News
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