President Lee, Discusses Resolving North Korean POW Issue Based on Intentions of Parties Involved

President Lee Jae-myung held his first summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on the 8th (local time), where they shared views on supporting Ukraine's reconstruction and resolving the issue of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs).

During the meeting, President Lee reaffirmed his commitment to providing humanitarian aid and participating in reconstruction efforts to Ukraine, proposing a comprehensive support package of $100 million.

The two leaders agreed to resolve the issue of North Korean soldiers held as POWs in Ukraine in a manner that aligns with the will of the parties involved and international law. Two North Korean soldiers, who were captured alive in Ukraine after being deployed to Russia, have both expressed their desire to go to South Korea. Through this summit, the government has maintained its stance of accepting POWs wishing to travel to South Korea based on humanitarian principles and will proceed with subsequent procedures.