Presidential Office: Ukraine Notified Seoul Before Announcing Repatriation of North Korean Prisoners, but It Was Not Clear

A senior official at the Presidential Office stated regarding the surprise public announcement of the repatriation of two North Korean prisoners of war through Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's UN speech that the Ukrainian side had informed them prior to the speech that there would be a mention related to the prisoners, and the government was aware of it.

However, the official explained that the delivered message was not clear and that it was merely conveyed as a possibility that a mention would be made.

In response, the South Korean side conveyed to Ukraine that the fact of their repatriation to South Korea must not be made public, the official said.

The official emphasized that the repatriation of prisoners should be handled in accordance with their free will, domestic law, international law, and humanitarian principles, but quietly to ensure a swift and safe return.

However, the official pointed out that as interviews and reports continued from some quarters, the situation became difficult, and opposition movements against the repatriation also intensified.

The official added that there was a mutual understanding during consultations with Ukraine to handle the process quietly without making it public, and noted that President Lee Jae-myung expressed regret because President Zelenskyy mentioned it in his speech contrary to the previous understanding.

Regarding criticisms raised by the opposition party about "walking on eggshells around North Korea," the official drew a line, stating that they merely adhered to humanitarian and human rights principles with no other considerations.

Furthermore, the official refuted that prisoner repatriations or the entry of North Korean defectors are never openly publicized by any country, and that views suggesting a hidden agenda or an attempt to deceive the public regarding the non-disclosure are untrue.

The official also added, "I think there are political motives behind all sorts of speculations and attacks regarding this issue."

(Reported by So Hwan-uk | Edited by Lee Gi-eun | Designed by Sumin | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.