President Lee Jae-myung held his first summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ankara, Türkiye, on the sidelines of the NATO summit.
Kang Yu-jeong, Senior Presidential Secretary for Press Affairs, stated in a written briefing that President Lee explained that South Korea has formalized a plan to provide $100 million in comprehensive support to Ukraine on the occasion of this NATO summit.
"Our government will continue to provide the humanitarian aid needed by the Ukrainian people and will keep participating in international efforts for Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction," the Senior Secretary promised.
President Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for South Korea's support and responded, "I hope to continue working closely with the international community, including South Korea, for the swift end of the war and for peace and recovery in Ukraine."
He further stated that he looks forward to the continued interest and participation of the South Korean government and its companies in Ukraine's reconstruction process.
The two leaders also exchanged broad views on the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Ukraine, and agreed to maintain close communication for the development of bilateral relations.
The issue of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) in Ukraine was also discussed during the South Korea-Ukraine summit.
"The two leaders agreed to resolve the issue of North Korean POWs in Ukraine in a manner consistent with international law and humanitarian principles, while respecting the free will of the individuals involved," Senior Secretary Kang explained.
This issue was also discussed during a meeting between the two countries' top diplomats on June 30.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had previously expressed consensus on the principle of "respecting the individual will of the prisoners and international humanitarian law."
Currently, the South Korean government maintains the position that it will accept the North Korean POWs, as they are considered South Korean citizens under the Constitution and have expressed a desire to defect.
However, the Ukrainian government has not yet reached a final conclusion, as it must also consider the disposal of prisoners from other countries alongside those from North Korea.
(Photo: Yonhap News)