Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on recall of South Korean ambassador: Ukraine is open to resuming dialogue

Tetyana Oliynyk, VALENTYNA ROMANENKO - 8 October, 18:41

Heorhii Tykhyi. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that despite Seoul's decision to recall its ambassador, Ukraine remains open to resuming constructive dialogue.

Source: a comment by Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

Quote from Tykhyi: "This week, we invited the ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ukraine to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to present our position and seek constructive solutions.

The position of the Ukrainian side was conveyed to him. We are convinced that diplomacy must prevail over emotions. Despite Seoul's decision to recall the ambassador, Ukraine remains open to resuming constructive dialogue – even if it takes time."

Background:

On 8 October, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the recall of its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang, amid a dispute between Kyiv and Seoul over the disclosure of information regarding the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war.
On 25 September, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated that Ukraine had breached a non-disclosure agreement by making public information about the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.
Meanwhile, Dmytro Lytvyn, communications adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denied that Ukraine had breached the agreement.
However, the South Korean president's office demanded official explanations and an apology from Ukraine over the disclosure of the information.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated that his country had received a message of apology from Ukraine for disclosing information about the transfer of the two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul, adding that the apology had failed to meet Seoul's expectations.

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