SEOUL: South Korea’s presidential office has demanded an explanation and formal apology from Ukraine, accusing Kiev of leaking information about the transfer of two North Korean prisoners to South Korea and then falsely denying that the two sides had agreed to keep the matter confidential.
“The presidential office deeply regrets Ukraine’s unilateral disclosure of information and the subsequent false declaration that there was no confidentiality agreement,” Seong Ghi-hong, senior secretary at the presidential office in charge of public relations, said in a statement released on Sunday.
He added that the government is considering further measures on the matter if necessary. He said Ukraine has held several discussions with Seoul through various channels about the transfer of the prisoners and has requested confidentiality, arguing that making the information public could spark criticism at home that Kiev has missed the opportunity to exchange the soldiers for Ukrainian prisoners.
He added that South Korea had agreed to keep the transfer confidential, taking into account security, diplomatic and humanitarian concerns, including the safety of the prisoners and their families.
Translated by Chook Bora
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