Foreign Minister Cho Demands Ukraine Honor Agreements

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has directly asked Ukraine to honor the promises made between the two countries. Meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in Paris, France, on November 10 local time, Cho stressed that mutual respect, building trust, and faithfully implementing agreements are fundamental preconditions for the development of bilateral relations. The meeting took place on the margins of the G7 foreign ministers' meeting. This was the first time the two ministers had met in person since Ukraine violated an undisclosed agreement concerning the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.

The backdrop to the tension in bilateral relations includes Seoul's recall of Ambassador to Ukraine Park Ki-chang on the 8th of last month and the withdrawal of half of the embassy staff on the 20th of the same month.

Cho expressed hope that all outstanding issues between the two countries would be smoothly resolved. In response, Sybiha proposed continuing diplomatic efforts to stably manage and develop the bilateral relationship.

Cho stated that the Korean government's principled position on supporting Ukraine remains unchanged. He added that Seoul would continue to explore humanitarian aid and reconstruction measures for the Ukrainian people. Sybiha expressed gratitude for Korea's support and said he hoped Ukraine would consult closely with the international community, including Korea, to achieve peace in Ukraine.