Accra:South Korea and Ukraine had reached an understanding to keep the repatriation discussions of captured North Korean soldiers confidential for as long as possible, a South Korean diplomat announced.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Yoon Ji-wan, the charge d'affaires at the South Korean Embassy in Ukraine, commented during a parliamentary audit at the South Korean Embassy in Poland. He stated that there was no timeline discussed for disclosure, but both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining confidentiality.

Yoon mentioned that the embassy was caught off guard when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly revealed the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war during his speech at the U.N. General Assembly on September 23. Ukraine has not provided a specific reason for this disclosure, which has been criticized domestically for a lack of internal coordination.

Relations between South Korea and Ukraine have soured following Zelenskyy's announcement, with Seoul accusing Kyiv of breaking a non-disclosure agreement. Ukraine, however, denies that such an agreement was ever in place. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has dismissed South Korea's demands for an apology, stating the matter is closed.

South Korea has since recalled its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang. Yoon explained that formalizing such agreements in writing would effectively create a treaty, which complicates public disclosure of these diplomatic discussions. He emphasized the importance of resolving the issue wisely to maintain stability and trust in bilateral relations.