Blue House: "Ukraine's Claim of 'No Secret Agreement' Is False... Strong Regret, Demands Explanation and Apology"

President Lee Issues Statement Condemning Ukrainian Government

Immediately After Returning from US-Mexico Tour

Soh Kihong, Senior Secretary for Public Communication, Blasts Kyiv’s Actions

"Undermining Bilateral Trust, Causing Serious

On the 27th, the Office of the President issued a strong statement expressing "deep regret over the unilateral disclosure by the Ukrainian government in violation of our agreement concerning the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war, and over the subsequent distribution of false information denying the existence of a non-disclosure agreement." The statement continued, "We demand an official explanation and apology."

Sung Gihong, Senior Secretary for Public Communication at the Office of the President, released this position statement in the afternoon after President Lee Jaemyung returned to Korea from his visit to the United States and Mexico. Sung also remarked, "We are reviewing additional necessary measures regarding this issue."

President Lee Jae-myung and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are shaking hands ahead of their summit at a hotel in Ankara, Turkey, on the 8th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News

Previously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had publicly disclosed at the United Nations General Assembly that two North Korean prisoners of war had recently entered South Korea. In response, President Lee expressed his regret, stating, "The disclosure violated a confidential agreement." However, Dmytro Lytvyn, communications advisor to the Ukrainian presidential office, countered, "Such a (confidential) agreement did not exist and this is not factual."

Regarding this, Secretary Sung noted, "There is now controversy over whether the president lied domestically." He continued, "The fact that the Ukrainian side unilaterally disclosed the information without any consultation or even notification, in violation of the confidential agreement between the two countries, is in itself a very serious issue." He added, "It is even more problematic that the press office of the Ukrainian presidential office announced the false fact that no confidential agreement existed, in response to our president's public remarks based on facts. Such actions severely undermine trust between the two governments and seriously damage the friendly relations between the two countries."

Additionally, Secretary Sung said, "Some figures in our country are politicizing this sensitive diplomatic and security matter tied to national interest, rather than holding the Ukrainian government accountable for its wrongdoing." He continued, "We express deep regret over those who defend the Ukrainian side's unjust actions and thereby damage our national interests. We urge everyone to refrain from making unverified or factually incorrect assertions."

Furthermore, Secretary Sung reiterated that a confidential agreement was reached when discussing the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war with the Ukrainian side. He stated, "The repatriation of North Korean prisoners to Korea is an extremely sensitive matter that has been thoroughly discussed over a long period of time." He further explained, "The Ukrainian government has consulted several times through various channels with us on the issue of repatriating prisoners."

Sung added, "(The Ukrainian government) requested confidentiality during discussions, stating 'Since repatriation to Korea may lead to domestic criticism that Ukraine gave up opportunities to exchange its own prisoners, this is a highly sensitive matter, so let's keep the repatriation to Korea confidential.' He explained, "Considering the safety of the prisoners and their families, as well as diplomatic and security issues, our side agreed to non-disclosure and proceeded with the repatriation process."

Sung said, "However, the Ukrainian government unilaterally disclosed the transfer of North Korean prisoners to Korea during the president’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly, with no sufficient prior explanation or detailed consultation." He continued, "When President Lee expressed his regret over the violation of the confidential agreement, the Ukrainian presidential office then, without consultation or prior notice, announced—contrary to the facts—that there was 'no agreement on confidentiality.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.