SEOUL, Oct 2 — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said today Seoul would take “further measures” if Ukraine refuses to publicly apologise over what he called its unilateral disclosure of North Korean POWs being sent to South Korea.
Seoul has taken a hard stance on Ukraine disclosing the transfer of two soldiers captured fighting for Russia, warning that their families could be targeted by Pyongyang.
The POWs were captured by Ukrainian forces early last year after being deployed alongside thousands of North Korean troops to support Russia’s war against Ukraine, in exchange for economic and military assistance to Pyongyang.
Hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed last week the transfer in remarks at the United Nations, South Korea’s Lee expressed his dismay, with Seoul claiming confidentiality was key to protecting the POWs’ relatives.
