Seoul, Kyiv Move to Mend Ties After POW Dispute
(MENAFN) The top diplomats of South Korea and Ukraine opened talks on restoring relations, discussing steps toward the “full normalization” of ties strained by the disclosure of two North Korean prisoners of war being transferred to Seoul, South Korean media reported Wednesday.
Cho Hyun, South Korea’s foreign minister, and Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha met Tuesday on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers’ meeting in Paris. It was their first face-to-face encounter since the rift erupted, according to a Seoul-based news agency.
The agency cited South Korea’s Foreign Ministry as saying: “While Minister Cho stressed mutual respect and trust, and the faithful implementation of bilateral agreements as basic prerequisites for the development of relations between the two countries, he expressed hope that pending issues between the countries will be smoothly resolved,”
The remarks appeared to refer to the prisoner dispute. Seoul has demanded an apology and safeguards against a repeat. Cho added that South Korea would keep looking for ways to deliver humanitarian aid and back Ukraine’s reconstruction.
According to the Ukrainian ministry, Sybiha urged both sides to pursue joint diplomatic efforts to keep relations steady and deepen them. In a post on US social media company X, he wrote that more steps were ahead toward the “full normalization” of ties, and he reaffirmed Kyiv’s readiness to build a “dynamic and pragmatic” partnership with Seoul.
Sybiha also thanked South Korea for backing Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and renewed his invitation for Cho to visit Ukraine. The two also addressed regional issues, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
The diplomatic chill began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the transfer of the two prisoners in his address to the UN General Assembly in September. In response, Seoul recalled its ambassador to Ukraine and pulled roughly half of its embassy staff last month.
Cho Hyun, South Korea’s foreign minister, and Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha met Tuesday on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers’ meeting in Paris. It was their first face-to-face encounter since the rift erupted, according to a Seoul-based news agency.
The agency cited South Korea’s Foreign Ministry as saying: “While Minister Cho stressed mutual respect and trust, and the faithful implementation of bilateral agreements as basic prerequisites for the development of relations between the two countries, he expressed hope that pending issues between the countries will be smoothly resolved,”
The remarks appeared to refer to the prisoner dispute. Seoul has demanded an apology and safeguards against a repeat. Cho added that South Korea would keep looking for ways to deliver humanitarian aid and back Ukraine’s reconstruction.
According to the Ukrainian ministry, Sybiha urged both sides to pursue joint diplomatic efforts to keep relations steady and deepen them. In a post on US social media company X, he wrote that more steps were ahead toward the “full normalization” of ties, and he reaffirmed Kyiv’s readiness to build a “dynamic and pragmatic” partnership with Seoul.
Sybiha also thanked South Korea for backing Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and renewed his invitation for Cho to visit Ukraine. The two also addressed regional issues, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
The diplomatic chill began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the transfer of the two prisoners in his address to the UN General Assembly in September. In response, Seoul recalled its ambassador to Ukraine and pulled roughly half of its embassy staff last month.
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