Ukraine is working to resolve a diplomatic dispute with South Korea after Kyiv publicly disclosed the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Thursday, 1 October.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the transfer during his address to the UN General Assembly last week, angering Seoul, which said it had expected the move to remain confidential.
“I would not like to call this an incident. Let's say, it's a diplomatic misunderstanding,” Sybiha told journalists at an event, according to Ukrainian media.
He said Ukraine hoped the issue would be resolved soon and stressed the importance of its relationship with South Korea.
“For us, South Korea is an important country,” Sybiha said, adding that Kyiv wanted to maintain momentum and achieve further concrete results in bilateral ties.
South Korea had demanded an explanation and apology from Ukraine, saying the two countries agreed to keep the transfer confidential because of security, diplomatic and humanitarian concerns.
Seoul also accused Kyiv of falsely denying that such a confidentiality agreement existed. South Korea's foreign ministry summoned Ukraine's acting ambassador on 28 September and expressed concern that the disclosure could undermine trust between the two governments.
Kyiv has disputed Seoul's account of the confidentiality arrangement, with Ukrainian officials saying there had been an understanding about the transfer's public disclosure.
The two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region in January 2025 after being deployed alongside Russian forces. They were the first North Korean soldiers captured alive since Pyongyang entered the war on Russia's side in 2024.
North Korea has since sent an estimated 14,000 to 15,000 troops to support Russia, according to Ukrainian and South Korean estimates. Zelenskyy said this week that more than 8,000 North Korean troops remained in Russia and another 10,000 were being prepared for deployment.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing it...
Regional powers gathered in Moscow on Monday for talks on Afghanistan, focusing on security, economic cooperation and Kabul’s relations with ...
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan held talks in Tehran on Monday on bilateral ties and efforts t...
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing its captain and endangering a civilian crew that included Azerbaijani and Indian nationals.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 5 October 2026. These are the top five elections making headlines around the world.
The United States has withdrawn all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, just a week after several people were arrested over an alleged plot targeting the air base.
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday called a snap election for 29 November in a bid to strengthen his mandate after a fragmented parliament rejected the government's key housing decrees last week amid widespread protests.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment