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The foreign ministers of South Korea and Ukraine hold a bilateral meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul on the 30th. / Courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The foreign ministers of South Korea and Ukraine reaffirmed a shared understanding on the 30th that the issue of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) must be resolved in a manner consistent with humanitarian principles. However, specific details regarding their potential repatriation to South Korea were not disclosed.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha held a bilateral meeting at the ministry headquarters in Seoul. The two sides agreed to seek a solution that respects the free will of the individuals involved and aligns with international law and humanitarian principles.

During a regular press briefing, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Park Il reiterated the government's standing position, stating, "It remains unchanged that North Korean POWs in Ukraine desire to come to South Korea," and added, "If their transfer to South Korea is decided, it will proceed in accordance with relevant procedures under domestic law." Park further noted that Seoul would continue to exert diplomatic efforts toward making progress and finding a resolution to the POW issue.

In addition to the POW matter, the two ministers discussed bilateral relations, regional security, and other mutual concerns.

Minister Cho noted with appreciation that high-level exchanges between the two nations have steadily continued despite the challenging conditions since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, and explained that South Korea has maintained its humanitarian assistance to support Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction. Building on its consistent participation in international dialogue for Ukraine's rebuilding, such as the 5th Ukraine Recovery Conference, the ministry aims to make tangible contributions once reconstruction efforts begin in earnest.

"We will actively review what kind of contributions can be made in sectors like energy and industrial plants by leveraging the specialized expertise of South Korean enterprises," Spokesperson Park stated.

Minister Sybiha expressed his pleasure at holding the bilateral talks in Seoul following their previous meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in France last March, hoping it would serve as an opportunity to enhance cooperation across various fields. This visit marks the first time in 11 years that a Ukrainian foreign minister has officially visited South Korea.

Meanwhile, during his stay, Minister Sybiha visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), where he emphasized that South Korea and Ukraine must cooperate to counter threats posed by Russia and North Korea. On his social media account that day, Sybiha wrote, "Russia is embroiling North Korea in the war and empowering the regime in Pyongyang, thereby exporting instability to the Korean Peninsula," adding, "In contrast, Ukraine is ready to export security and share its experience. We propose a mutually beneficial security partnership to our South Korean partners."

                                                                                                           Mok Yong-jae