South Korea is facing a diplomatic challenge as it seeks to resolve tensions with Ukraine over the controversy surrounding the secret agreement on the repatriation of North Korean soldiers. Attention is focused on whether South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin will engage in discussions with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba during the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Paris.
On November 10, diplomatic sources indicated that a bilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of South Korea and Ukraine could take place during the G7 meeting. The controversy over the secret agreement on the repatriation of North Korean soldiers has led to a war of words between the two nations. In response to the situation, South Korea announced on October 8 that it would recall its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang, who returned to South Korea on October 10. His return schedule remains uncertain.
South Korea has shown a firm stance by deciding to withdraw half of its diplomatic staff from the Ukrainian embassy on October 20, indicating its unwillingness to back down easily. While Ukraine acknowledged that the recall of the ambassador has strained relations, it has not reacted significantly to the withdrawal of diplomatic staff, maintaining that the matter is already resolved.
A Foreign Ministry official stated that while it is difficult to predict the outcome, "if a meeting occurs, it could be a useful opportunity to reconsider our position." The official added that discussions could also cover the development of bilateral relations and a roadmap for cooperation.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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