Ukraine and South Korea Meet in Paris to Mend Ties
Ukrainian and South Korean foreign ministers met in Paris to normalize relations after a dispute over the public disclosure of North Korean prisoners of war.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met in Paris on November 11 during a G7 gathering to repair diplomatic relations. The two nations have been embroiled in a rift since September 23, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced at the UN General Assembly that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean soldiers, captured in Russia's Kursk region, to South Korea.
Seoul alleged the announcement violated a confidentiality agreement intended to protect the prisoners and their families, while Kyiv maintained that South Korea was informed of the intent to disclose the transfer. In response to the breach, South Korea recalled Ambassador Park Ki-chang on October 8 and withdrew eight embassy personnel on October 20. South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung demanded a formal apology, which Seoul later characterized as insufficient.
Despite the diplomatic tension, South Korea has allocated $100 million for Ukraine in its draft 2027 budget. This funding includes $50 million for a NATO trust fund, $20 million for humanitarian projects, and $30 million for programs supporting countries affected by armed conflict. During the Paris talks, Cho Hyun emphasized that mutual respect and the enforcement of agreements are prerequisites for bilateral ties, while Sybiha called for a pragmatic partnership based on shared security threats posed by North Korean involvement in Russia's aggression.
