Tensions Rise Between South Korea and Ukraine Over North Korean POWs

Tensions are escalating between South Korea and Ukraine over the issue of repatriating North Korean prisoners of war. The conflict has deepened, particularly following disagreements between the two presidents and the involvement of military officials from both countries as of October 5.

Recently, President Lee Jae-myung and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have exchanged multiple criticisms regarding the repatriation of North Korean POWs. President Lee accused President Zelensky of violating agreements by publicly discussing the POWs' repatriation at the United Nations General Assembly, while Zelensky countered by referencing the South Korean constitution, asserting that South Korea had initially requested the repatriation.

Following Zelensky's public remarks about the POWs, the South Korean government summoned Andrii Beshkin, the acting Ukrainian ambassador to South Korea, on September 28. The Ukrainian statement claiming there was no private agreement was labeled as false by South Korea, which expressed regret over the situation. However, the controversy continues. A senior official from the South Korean Foreign Ministry stated on October 2 that the foreign ministers of both countries are coordinating a statement that includes an apology from Ukraine, yet the debate remains unresolved.

Moreover, retired Colonel Bohdan Krotevych, a former chief of staff of the Azov Brigade, criticized President Lee on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "The South Korean president should think carefully about who he is speaking to and the content of his statements." This criticism appears to be a response to President Lee's remarks that labeled Zelensky as a liar.

In response, Kim Byung-joo, a member of the Democratic Party and newly appointed special advisor on defense policy, stated on October 4 during an interview with MBN that Zelensky's public discussion of the POWs at the UN General Assembly has damaged the trust of the nation, calling Zelensky ungrateful.

Doo Jin-ho, a visiting research fellow at Kyungnam University's East Asian Institute, told Aju Economy that South Korea should demand a clear apology from Ukraine for its politically charged criticism of the humanitarian issue surrounding the North Korean POWs.

However, there are concerns that if the situation continues to escalate, South Korea may be excluded from the estimated $800 billion reconstruction project in Ukraine. Doo noted that European nations, which have contributed more to Ukraine than South Korea, are more likely to participate, and considering relations with Russia, the benefits of participating in the reconstruction may be minimal.