Ukraine offers 'insufficient' apology over N. Korean POW disclosure: foreign minister

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SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has received a message from Ukraine containing an apology over its disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to Seoul, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday, but added that the apology fell short of Seoul's expectations.

Seoul demanded an official explanation and apology after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer last month, with his office subsequently denying there had been an agreement to keep the matter confidential.

"I have been in continuous contact with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha over the matter, and he has expressed how difficult the situation is," Cho said during a parliamentary audit of his ministry when asked by lawmakers whether Ukraine had apologized.

"Messages that I received (from Sybiha) included an apology. But there is a difference from the level we expect, so we intend to take firm measures," he said.

The minister added the government is considering various options, including the possibility of recalling South Korea's ambassador to Ukraine, Park Hee-chang, as proposed by a lawmaker.

North Korean prisoners of war captured by the Ukrainian forces meet with a South Korean producer at a prisoner of war camp in Ukraine on Oct. 28, 2025, in this file photo released three days later by a Seoul-based group of North Korean defectors. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Cho reiterated that there had been an agreement from the outset to keep the matter confidential to protect the soldiers and their families, who remain in North Korea, noting that the Ukrainian side had first requested that the matter not be made public.

Following Seoul's demand for an official explanation and apology, Sybiha had described the issue as a "diplomatic misunderstanding" and expressed hope that it would be resolved soon.

The two North Korean soldiers were captured in January 2025 while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region and arrived in South Korea in mid-September, according to South Korean officials.

Asked why Zelenskyy had disclosed the transfer, Cho speculated, while stressing it was his personal interpretation, that the Ukrainian president may have wanted to demonstrate to the United Nations that Ukraine had acted appropriately as a liberal democracy.

South Korea has sought to resolve the dispute through diplomatic channels while emphasizing the importance of maintaining its relations with Ukraine.

graceoh@yna.co.kr (END)

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S. Korea, Ukraine's FMs discuss 'proper message' on N.K. POW transfer dispute: senior official

(LEAD) Spy agency says Ukraine first requested confidentiality over transfer of N. Korean POWs

Ukraine offers 'insufficient' apology over N. Korean POW disclosure: foreign minister

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首尔，10月6日（韩联社）——韩国外交部长赵显铉周二表示，韩国已收到乌克兰方面就其向首尔泄露两名朝鲜战俘信息一事表示道歉，但他补充说，这一道歉并未达到首尔的预期。

上个月乌克兰总统泽连斯基披露了这起人员转移事件后，首尔方面要求乌克兰方面做出正式解释和道歉。随后，泽连斯基的办公室否认曾达成过对此事保密的协议。

“我一直就此事与乌克兰外交部长安德烈·西比哈保持联系，他表达了局势的艰难，”乔在议会对其部门进行审计时，被议员问及乌克兰是否已道歉时说道。

他说：“我收到的（来自锡比哈的）信息中包含道歉。但这与我们期望的水平还有差距，因此我们打算采取强硬措施。”

该部长补充说，政府正在考虑各种方案，包括召回韩国驻乌克兰大使朴熙昌的可能性，正如一位议员提议的那样。

这张资料照片拍摄于2025年10月28日，地点是乌克兰的一处战俘营。照片中，被乌克兰军队俘虏的朝鲜战俘与一名韩国制片人会面。三天后，一个位于首尔的朝鲜脱北者团体公布了这张照片。（照片禁止出售）（韩联社）

赵重申，双方从一开始就达成协议，对此事保密，以保护仍留在朝鲜的士兵及其家属，并指出乌克兰方面最初要求不要公开此事。

在首尔方面要求正式解释和道歉后，西比哈将此事描述为“外交误会”，并表示希望此事能尽快得到解决。

据韩国官员称，这两名朝鲜士兵于 2025 年 1 月在库尔斯克地区为俄罗斯作战时被俘，并于 9 月中旬抵达韩国。

当被问及泽连斯基为何要披露这笔转账时，赵推测（同时强调这是他个人的解读），乌克兰总统可能想向联合国表明，乌克兰作为一个自由民主国家，其行为是恰当的。

韩国一直寻求通过外交渠道解决争端，同时强调维持与乌克兰关系的重要性。

graceoh@yna.co.kr (完)

韩国外长赵立坚表示，韩国与美国在朝鲜政策和朝鲜半岛无核化问题上立场一致。

（第二份声明）李警告称，如果乌克兰拒绝就朝鲜战俘转移信息披露争议道歉，将采取“额外措施”。

韩国和乌克兰外长讨论就朝鲜战俘移交争议发出“恰当信息”：高级官员

（新闻快讯）情报机构称，乌克兰最初要求对移交朝鲜战俘一事保密。

乌克兰外交部长称，乌克兰就泄露朝鲜战俘信息一事提供的道歉“不够充分”。