Story perspectives

South Korea Demands Apology After Ukraine POW Transfer

By Drooid · Sep 28, 2026, 10:32 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

South Korea Demands Apology

South Korea demanded an apology from Ukraine after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the transfer of two North Korean POWs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the transfer in his United Nations General Assembly speech on 23 September 2026.
South Korea officials warned they may take further steps to protect the POWs and relations.
South Korea official Seong Ghi-hong said Ukraine denied a confidentiality pact, harming bilateral trust.

Summary

Jang Accuses Government

PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk called the administration a murderer and traitor for allegedly appeasing Kim Jong-un.
PPP alleged the government delayed the transfer to avoid provoking North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Democratic Party spokesperson Park Sung-joon dismissed PPP’s accusations as conspiracy theories harming national security.
Professor Lee Byong-chul of Kyungnam University said the discreet handover served humanitarian and strategic interests.

History

Historical Context

In June 2000, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung met North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang, the first face-to-face dialogue since the peninsula’s division, and signed the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration. The summit’s release of detained officials set a precedent for later disputes over North Korean prisoners, echoed by the 2026 Ukraine disclosure. A poll showed 97.4% public approval.

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South Korea Demands Apology

South Korea demanded an apology from Ukraine after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the transfer of two North Korean POWs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the transfer in his United Nations General Assembly speech on 23 September 2026.
South Korea officials warned they may take further steps to protect the POWs and relations.
South Korea official Seong Ghi-hong said Ukraine denied a confidentiality pact, harming bilateral trust.

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