President Lee's X posts spark fresh diplomatic clash with Ukraine over POW disclosure
President Lee Jae Myung warned Ukraine of extra measures unless it apologizes for revealing two North Korean POWs, a dispute amplified by his X posts.
President Lee Jae Myung used his X account to condemn Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent UN General Assembly remarks that named two North Korean prisoners of war now held in South Korea. Seoul argues the public disclosure violated a secret arrangement intended to shield the soldiers and their relatives, whereas Ukraine maintains no such pact existed. Lee labeled the announcement “very disappointing,” later warning of “additional measures” if Kyiv does not issue a public apology.
Foreign ministers from both sides have been discussing a mutually acceptable response, but analysts say Lee’s direct social-media approach complicates quiet diplomacy. The episode mirrors a prior controversy with Israel, highlighting concerns about the president’s reliance on online platforms. Lee’s posting frequency has surged, and critics note the risk of unvetted statements reaching the public.
Why it matters
The dispute shows how a leader’s social-media use can strain international relations and hinder diplomatic resolution.
How this story developed
- Sep 22 EU prepares sanctions on North Korean elite camp hosting Ukrainian children
- Sep 24 Zelenskyy publicly announced the transfer of the two North Korean POWs at the UN General Assembly.
- Sep 27 Parliamentary opposition pressed the government for a public rationale after the UN disclosure.
- Sep 29 South Korea formally summoned Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires and demanded an apology for the UN disclosure.
- Sep 29 Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon and People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok claimed the military rejected United Nations Command demands for swift site access after the September 21 blasts that injured three soldiers. They argue the delay was meant to conceal evidence of a North Korean wooden-box mine and that the joint investigation was only advanced after public pressure. South Korean and UNC personnel entered the DMZ on Saturday to secure a route and prepare for the upcoming probe.
- Oct 2 South Korean intelligence briefed the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee about Ukraine's request for secrecy in the transfer.
- Oct 2 President Lee publicly warned Ukraine of possible retaliation if it does not apologise for the disclosure.
- Oct 2 South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported a ballistic missile launch from North Korea’s Wonsan area toward the East Sea on Saturday morning, following Kim Yo-jong’s dismissal of inter-Korean talks.
- Oct 3 South Korea’s National Security Council met urgently to evaluate the missile launch.
- Oct 3 Kim Yo‑jong publicly dismissed Seoul’s apology demand as despicable.
- Oct 3 North Korea claimed the missile incorporated artificial‑intelligence to alter its low‑altitude trajectory.
- Oct 4 Kim Jong Un was reported to have personally overseen the missile drill.
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