Ukraine Says "Diplomacy Must Come Before Emotion"... No Official Apology

[Anchor]

Regarding the South Korean government's decision to recall its ambassador to Ukraine, the Ukrainian government stated that "diplomacy must take precedence over emotion." The South Korean government plans to closely monitor whether Ukraine issues an official apology.

Reporter Kim Bo-mi reports.

[Reporter]

Following the South Korean government's announcement on October 8 to recall Park Ki-chang, the South Korean Ambassador to Ukraine, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a written statement on the evening of October 8 local time, stating that "diplomacy must take precedence over emotion" and that "dialogue remains open to restore constructive relations."

In particular, it stated that it had "invited" Ambassador Park to Ukraine's foreign ministry to seek a solution. While this corresponds to a diplomatic summons used to lodge a protest, it is interpreted as an attempt to soften the tone of its diplomatic response by using the term "invitation."

However, the statement from the Ukrainian side contained neither the direct explanation nor the public apology that South Korea had demanded.

Although the Ukrainian side showed a willingness to defuse the conflict, the two nations remain on parallel tracks on key issues.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated that he viewed South Korea as having received a form of apology from Ukraine, but noted that it fell short of South Korea's standards.

[Cho Hyun / Minister of Foreign Affairs (October 6): "Since there is some difference from the level we expect, we intend to take decisive measures."]

Ambassador Park's recall to South Korea is expected to take place soon. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "While continuing efforts to manage and resolve pending bilateral issues, Ambassador Park will also actively participate in relevant consultations upon his return," adding, "We hope the Ukrainian side will also respond to our diplomatic efforts."

Representative Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party disclosed that she sent a letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanking him for the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, and criticized the government's ambassador recall, arguing, "It is a decision completely incomprehensible from the perspective of national interest and security."

The Democratic Party countered, saying, "Whose country's lawmaker is she?" and asserting, "The diplomatic conflict between the two countries was brought on by Ukraine itself."

Camera by Lee Seung-hwan | Video Editing by Park Seon-soo
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.