Ukraine, South Korea plan talks to repair ties after diplomatic row, source says
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun are planning to meet in Paris in an effort to repair relations between their countries following a diplomatic dispute over North Korean prisoners of war, a diplomatic source told hromadske on Nov. 10.
The planned meeting comes after Seoul recalled its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Kichan, and eight other diplomats in October amid a dispute over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's public disclosure that captured North Korean soldiers had been transferred to South Korea.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung accused Ukraine of violating a confidentiality agreement, arguing that the transfer of North Korean prisoners was an exceptionally sensitive matter with implications for diplomacy and national security.
Kyiv disputed that account. Zelenskyy's communications adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn, said no such confidentiality agreement existed and argued that Ukraine should not conceal the fate of prisoners of war.
Seoul subsequently demanded an apology, warning of additional measures. Lee also accused Kyiv of undermining trust between the two governments and attempting to provoke a conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
The diplomatic dispute led South Korea to recall its ambassador from Ukraine.
According to hromadske's diplomatic source, the planned meeting between Sybiha and Cho is intended to normalize bilateral relations and restore dialogue.
No date for the meeting or details of a possible agreement were provided.