Ukraine’s ‘Regret’ Over Revealing Transfer of Two North Korean POWs to South Korea Was Not the ‘Apology’ Seoul Demanded

South Korea says Ukraine’s “apology” for revealing that Ukraine sent two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea was insufficient, and Ukraine says it wasn’t even an apology.Whatever it’s called, the apology dispute has prompted South Korea to withdraw Seoul’s ambassador from Ukraine. What neither side is saying is the ruckus has everything to do with South Korea’s relations — or attempts at relations — with North Korea and North Korean support of Russia in the war for Ukraine.In response to South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s demand for a full-throated apology for the revelation by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky that the two prisoners were in Seoul, Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, came through with “regret that the situation had reached the point of an exchange of critical public comments.”It was after South Korea’s foreign minister, Cho Hyun, said he had received “an apology” from Mr. Sybiha that differed “from the level we expect” that the left-leaning Mr. Lee made good on his promise of “firm measures” by pulling his ambassador. Ukraine’s foreign ministry worsened matters when it “denied the fact that Ukraine had apologized,” according to the digital Ukraine news service, Liga.net. Kyiv “attributed the disagreement to differing interpretations of confidentiality arrangements” and said it “had transferred the prisoners at South Korea’s request,” according to NK News.Making matters worse, South Korea and Ukraine are going at each other diplomatically while South and North Korea play a game of brinkmanship over a mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas that injured three South Korean soldiers. President Lee, outraged over Ukraine’s non-apology but looking for talks with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, has attempted to soften the impact of the mine blast on North-South relations by calling it “an untoward accident,” according to the Seoul Broadcasting System.SBS quoted a retired South Korean lieutenant general, Chun In-bum, former commander of the South’s special forces, as saying, “I feel very disappointed and hurt” by the president’s response.Mr. Lee’s attempt at avoiding a crisis with the North contrasts with the remark of his defense minister, Kang Shin, that the explosion was “the first of its kind in the history of our DMZ.” The South accused the North of laying mines below the line in the middle of the DMZ that divides the North from the South. North Korea’s foreign ministry has loudly denounced that claim, declaring, “If South Korean forces go even a millimetre beyond the border to violate our territory, the border guard forces of the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea} will take an immediate and powerful counteraction.”It’s assumed that Mr. Lee wanted to keep the transfer of the North Korean prisoners of war a secret in order not to anger the North, which has sent thousands of troops and millions of artillery shells and other weaponry to support the Russians in the war. It was also to placate the North Koreans, with whom Mr. Lee has been pleading for talks, that South Korea has offered medical aid, desperately needed outside the ruling elite in Pyongyang.Kim Jong-un’s acid-tongued younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, leaves no doubt South Koreans can forget about that idea. “This is an insult to our state, a mutated political provocation and a grave act of sovereignty infringement that goes against our state law,” was her response, according to Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency. South Korea must show “utmost respect, solicitude and sincerity before anything” in order to “reverse the relations” between Pyongyang and Seoul.Ukraine, meanwhile, is counting on diplomacy to overcome South Korean wrath. “We are convinced that diplomacy must prevail over emotions,” said a foreign ministry spokesman. “Despite Seoul’s decision to recall its ambassador, Ukraine remains open to resuming a constructive dialogue — even if it takes time,”

Ukraine’s ‘Regret’ Over Revealing Transfer of Two North Korean POWs to South Korea Was Not the ‘Apology’ Seoul Demanded

Ukraine’s ‘Regret’ Over Revealing Transfer of Two North Korean POWs to South Korea Was Not the ‘Apology’ Seoul Demanded

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