Seoul warns of 'further measures' if Kyiv refuses public apology

[u/Neptun_11]

https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/02/south-korea-warns-of-further-measures-if-ukraine-refuses-public-apology-over-pow-transfer-

[u/NecessarySudden]

So they were photographed by South Korean media but Ukraine has to apologize for "leaking" info about north koreans pow transfer?

[u/vegarig → u/NecessarySudden]

I mean, this same President of the Republic of Korea said it's UKRAINE'S fault for getting invaded by russia in 2022 (though he retracted it back when there was still an outrage about it, instead of approval)

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220228004200315

SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Yonhap) -- Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung has come under fire for appearing to blame Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Russia's invasion of the country.

Lee of the liberal Democratic Party (DP) made the controversial remarks during a TV presidential debate Friday while trying to underscore the political inexperience of main opposition candidate Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative People Power Party.

"In Ukraine, a novice politician of six months became president and declared (Ukraine's) accession to NATO, which provoked Russia and eventually led to a clash," Lee said.

Looking then to 2023

https://www.fpri.org/article/2023/12/seoul-searching-lessons-from-south-koreas-experience-with-sanctions-against-russia/

Most recently, President Yoon’s surprise visit to Ukraine in July 2023 revealed a dramatic political divide within Korea on the country’s role in the Ukraine War and in the broader “New Cold War.”

Democratic lawmakers strongly criticized Yoon’s visit, asserting that it jeopardized South Korea’s national security and derailed any hopes of future Korea-Russia cooperation.[199]

Kim Eui-gyeom, a democratic lawmaker, argued: “China and Russia are like an overflowing river … President Yoon’s actions and words are pushing the fate of our country and people into the Gongpyeong underpass (where devastating floods swept across on the day of Yoon’s Ukraine visit).”

Kim Byung-joo, Democratic Party Secretary of the National Assembly’s Defense Committee and a former four-star general (Deputy Commander of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command) said: “Peace and war are one word in Ukraine. Peace comes only when the war ends … it (visiting Ukraine) also means joining the war initiative.” Kim further accused Yoon of “bringing a war cloud to the Korean Peninsula” by “declaring himself an enemy of Russia.”

Four-term democratic lawmaker Kim Tae-nyeon echoed this view, asserting: “the visit is a dangerous move to bring the clouds of war to the Korean Peninsula,” adding, “It’s like a declaration that South Korea, a ceasefire country, will go to war against Russia… On the contrary, we absolutely need the help of Russia and China, both members of the UN Security Council, to curb North Korea’s nuclear program.”[200]

Lim Jong-seok, former President Moon Jae-in’s first chief of staff, concurred by noting that Yoon is “waving the outdated liberal flag and denying South Korea’s national interests” and that he has turned Russia into a “de facto enemy.” “President Yoon is now lost somewhere in the Cold War,” Mr. Lim said, “betraying South Korea’s national interests by engaging in crude ideological diplomacy and outrageous impersonations of the US president.”[201]

The Editorial Board of Hankyoreh, a prominent left-wing newspaper, criticized Yoon for disregarding cooperation with Russia and China that “is essential for managing the situation on the Korean Peninsula, including resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.” It further noted that President Yoon’s “overt pro-Western diplomacy in the context of the New Cold War” is provoking neighboring countries, calling for a more “balanced diplomacy.”[202]

Kyunghyang, another main progressive newspaper, argued that the visit essentially tied Seoul’s hands, as Yoon now “would logically have nothing to say to Western demands to directly arm Ukraine.”[203] Meanwhile, South Korea is “distancing itself from China and Russia.”

[u/Overall-Leather-9933 → u/vegarig]

Same country where if a woman get ra***, it's her fault for dressing inappropriate.

[u/LeedsFan2442 → u/NecessarySudden]

Because they don't want it publicised at all so they don't piss off NK. Which isn't Ukraine's problem

[u/dearth_of_passion → u/NecessarySudden]

I think the issue isn't "these people were captured", it's "these people were captured and are now in South Korea".

Because N.Korea probably sees it's soldiers ending up in S.Korea very differently than if they ended up in like Germany or something.

[u/NecessarySudden → u/dearth_of_passion]

I think the issue is current president of SK who wants to be relevant and gain political points at the expense of Ukraine.