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Asia Today, Reporter Lee Byung-hwa = First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoon-joo delivers a pending issues report on the catastrophic floods in Nepal, troop deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, and investment in the U.S. during a plenary session of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee held at the National Assembly.

First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoon-joo summoned Ukrainian Chargé d'Affaires Andrii Vieshkin on the 28th to deliver the government's stern position regarding the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war and urged measures to prevent a recurrence.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vice Minister Park expressed regret over the Ukrainian side's unilateral, sudden disclosure that the North Korean POWs were bound for South Korea without sufficient prior explanation or detailed consultation, despite a clear bilateral nondisclosure agreement on the repatriation.

During the meeting, Vice Minister Park also voiced regret over the Ukrainian presidential press office's release of false information claiming that no such nondisclosure agreement existed.

"Issuing a false statement denying the existence of a nondisclosure agreement is an act that seriously undermines trust between our two governments and harms friendly bilateral ties," Park emphasized, adding, "We demand an official clarification and apology from the Ukrainian government regarding the unilateral disclosure of the North Korean POW repatriation and the false official announcement."

In response, Chargé d'Affaires Vieshkin noted that he listened carefully to the government's stance and would report it back to his home country.

                                                                                                            Mok Yong-jae