S. Korean FM stresses bilateral trust following meeting with Ukraine counterpart
Summary
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stressed mutual respect, trust and the faithful implementation of agreements during talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on the sidelines of the Group of Seven Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in France on Tuesday. It was their first meeting since a dispute arose over Ukraine’s disclosure that two North Korean prisoners of war had been transferred to South Korea. Cho expressed hope that pending issues would be resolved amicably, while Sybiha called for continued diplomatic efforts to advance ties stably. Cho also reaffirmed South Korea’s commitment to humanitarian aid and Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Key Facts
- The dispute followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Sept. 23 announcement at the United Nations General Assembly that the two North Korean POWs had been transferred to South Korea.
- The soldiers were captured while fighting for Russia in Ukraine in 2025.
- South Korea said it received an insufficient apology, recalled Ambassador Park Ki-chang and withdrew some embassy personnel in October, citing the dispute and persistent threats of Russian airstrikes.
- South Korea decided to provide $100 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine from its 2027 budget, including contributions to a NATO trust fund and other programs.
FMs meet for 1st time since rift over confidentiality of NK POW transfer
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, right, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha meet on the sidelines of a Group of Seven foreign ministers' meeting in Paris, Tuesday (local time). Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stressed mutual respect and trust as the foundation for bilateral relations during his talks with Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, the Korean foreign ministry said Tuesday.
It was their first meeting since a deepening rift emerged between the two countries over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's September disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea.
Their discussion took place on the sidelines of the Group of Seven Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in France on Tuesday (local time).
"Cho stressed that mutual respect, trust and the faithful implementation of agreements between countries are fundamental prerequisites for developing bilateral relations, expressing hope that all pending issues between the two countries will be resolved amicably," the ministry said in a press release.
The remarks are being interpreted as a repetition of the South Korean government’s demand for Ukraine to apologize for the disclosure, which Seoul claims the two sides had agreed to keep confidential.
The ministry’s statement, however, did not state whether the two ministers directly talked about the POW issue.
In response, Sybiha called for continued diplomatic efforts to manage and advance bilateral ties in a stable manner, according to the release.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, right, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha shake hands during a meeting held on the sidelines of a Group of Seven foreign ministers' meeting in Paris, France, Tuesday (local time). Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The tensions stem from Zelenskyy's announcement during a United Nations General Assembly speech on Sept. 23 that two North Korean POWs had been transferred to South Korea. The North Korean soldiers were captured while fighting for Russia in Ukraine in 2025.
Lee expressed disappointment on X (formerly Twitter) the following day, saying Ukraine had breached the agreement to keep the transfer confidential.
Kyiv denied that such an agreement existed, prompting Cheong Wa Dae to demand an explanation and apology on Sept. 27.
After South Korea said it received only what it described as an "insufficient" apology from the Ukrainian side, it recalled its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang, and withdrew some embassy personnel from the country in October, citing Kyiv's failure to take steps to resolve the dispute, along with persistent threats of Russian airstrikes.
Despite the tensions, the South Korean government decided to provide $100 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine from its 2027 budget, which also covers contributions to a NATO trust fund and other programs.
Cho said that South Korea remains firmly committed to supporting Ukraine as a responsible member of the international community. He added that Seoul will keep exploring ways to deliver essential humanitarian aid and support Ukraine's reconstruction.
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