President Lee Jae-myung warned Ukraine, which unilaterally announced the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war, saying, "If you continue to refuse to acknowledge the facts and issue a public apology, we will take further measures."

President Lee wrote this on his social media today (October 2) and unleashed strong criticism against Ukraine, stating, "This is a matter concerning the dignity of the people and the nation of the Republic of Korea, and it cannot be overlooked."

He also shared an article reporting that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said he "sincerely hopes" the strained bilateral relations will be resolved.

President Lee rebuked Ukraine, saying, "Regarding the repatriation of North Korean POWs, the Ukrainian side requested confidentiality and we agreed to keep it private, but they disclosed it unilaterally. When the President of the Republic of Korea politely expressed regret, they made the head of state of a counterpart nation out to be a liar by claiming there was no agreement."

He added, "When asked to acknowledge the agreement and apologize, Ukraine instead spoke of an imminent inter-Korean military clash; I express deep regret over Ukraine attempting to spark a war on the Korean Peninsula."

Earlier, Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian President's Office, mentioned a recent landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and claimed, "The situation is worsening day by day, and it is only a matter of time before an uncontrollable fuse (of armed conflict) is lit."

However, he did not provide specific evidence that North Korea is actually preparing for an armed conflict with South Korea.

On September 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a surprise announcement during his speech at the UN General Assembly that they had "sent two captured North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea."

In response, President Lee, who was visiting the United States and Mexico on the occasion of the UN General Assembly, criticized via social media, saying, "I do not know what circumstances Ukraine had in breaking the confidentiality agreement and going public, but it is deeply regrettable."

However, a source from the Ukrainian President's Office pushed back through the media, claiming they "did not promise confidentiality," escalating the issue into a battle over the truth. On September 27, the Blue House issued a statement expressing strong regret and demanding an official explanation and apology from the Ukrainian government.

(Photo courtesy of the Blue House Press Corps, Yonhap News)