Ukraine's Sybiha Says Ties With South Korea Are Back on Track After North Korean POW Dispute
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on November 10 that relations between Ukraine and South Korea were on the road to recovery after a dispute over North Korean prisoners of war. He said he had "a good meeting" with his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers' meeting, that the two spoke frankly about the recent unpleasant events, and that a series of steps now lies ahead for the final normalisation of bilateral relations.
The dispute began after President Volodymyr Zelensky told the UN General Assembly that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. Seoul said the transfer was supposed to remain confidential to protect the soldiers and their families in the North, and recalled its ambassador last month over the disclosure. Sybiha had said the dispute was rooted in differing interpretations of the confidentiality arrangements and that Ukraine had fulfilled all its obligations.
Sybiha said Ukraine was grateful for South Korea's past and future support, including its backing for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that the two countries deserve an extremely dynamic, high-level bilateral relationship.
Source: Reuters
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：乌克兰外交部长 Andrii Sybiha（左）2025年在基辅与英国外交大臣 David Lammy 会面（资料图）。乌克兰外交部摄，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons；原图为 3:2 画幅，本站已同色垫成 16:9 画布保全人物头部。 / Photo: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (left) meeting British Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Kyiv in 2025 (file photo). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; padded to a 16:9 canvas by GSM.
