South Korea recalls Ukraine envoy over prisoner-of-war row

South Korea recalls Ukraine envoy over prisoner-of-war row Zelensky had revealed the transportation astatine a code astatine the UN General Assembly successful September, adding that the 2 North Koreans had not been "easy to seizure alive". It prompted a swift condemnation from South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who called it "greatly disappointing" and said the transportation was a "highly delicate issue" impacting nationalist security. President Lee besides faced dense disapproval astat location successful airy of the revelation, with section absorption accusing him of wanting to screen up the transportation to appease Pyongyang. But his bureau said that it had been kept confidential partially to support the North Koreans' families and added that Kyiv besides wanted the transportation kept concealed to debar disapproval that it had fixed up an accidental to speech the soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners of war. Lee's bureau explained Ukraine had indicated the soldiers would beryllium mentioned successful Zelensky's address, but not the information of their transfer. The spat escalated erstwhile Zelensky's bureau responded claiming that the 2 countries did not person a non-disclosure agreement. Seoul aboriginal demanded Ukraine apologise for "announcing a falsehood" and said its actions had earnestly damaged spot betwixt the 2 nations. Seoul has been sympathetic to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion, but has refused to interruption from its longstanding argumentation of not providing lethal weapons to immoderate state engaged in progressive war. After North Korean troops were deployed to enactment Russia successful 2024, Kyiv stepped up unit connected South Korea to proviso cutting-edge anti-air missiles to assistance support Ukraine's vigor infrastructure from Russian drone and rocket attacks. This July, Seoul had announced a $100 cardinal assistance bundle to Ukraine. Lee's bureau said it would beryllium an enlargement of earlier assistance which was comprised of non-lethal items including helmets, idiosyncratic armour and aesculapian equipment. Meanwhile Russia's overseas ministry has warned it would person "no prime but to retaliate" if South Korea provided Ukraine with arms, without specifying enactment it mightiness take. South Korea has agelong pursued cordial ties with its neighbours who whitethorn beryllium astat likelihood with its ally, the US. Since the illness of the Soviet Union, it has worked to deepen commercialized and diplomatic relations with Russia, which borders North Korea, and views some Moscow and Beijing as cardinal partners in efforts to power Pyongyang. Read the full story at BBC News →