(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks in last 5 paras)
SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean presidential office on Sunday voiced "strong regret" over what it called Ukraine's denial of an agreement with Seoul not to disclose the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea.
The presidential office "expresses strong regret over Ukraine's unilateral disclosure (of the transfer) and its subsequent false announcement that there had not been a nondisclosure agreement," Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, said in a released statement.
The Cheong Wa Dae official added the country is considering taking additional measures regarding the issue, if necessary.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed during a United Nations address last week that Ukraine has sent the two North Korean soldiers captured last year to South Korea.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his office have since said Ukraine breached a nondisclosure agreement aimed at keeping the transfer a secret to safeguard the soldiers from dangers they could face if their transfer were to be disclosed, citing international law and humanitarian principles.
Soon after, Ukrainian media outlets reported a Ukrainian presidential source as denying the existence of a confidentiality agreement with Seoul.
This image shows Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
The presidential office, in particular, pointed to the Ukrainian presidential office's "false" denial of the confidentiality agreement made after Lee's disclosure of the bilateral agreement, saying this "seriously hampers" bilateral trust and causes serious disruptions to bilateral friendship.
Seoul said the Ukrainian government had demanded confidentiality on the transfer, citing potential domestic criticism over giving up the chance to exchange the North Korean POWs for Ukrainian POWs.
South Korea agreed to keep the transfer confidential in consideration of the safety of the POWs and their families, as well as other diplomatic and security issues, Seong explained, claiming that Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer without prior explanation or consultation despite the mutual agreement.
The South Korean presidential official also voiced "deep regret" over some domestic individuals who, the pesidential secretary said, politicized the "sensitive security issue" in favor of Ukraine.
Seong said politicizing the issue damages national interest, calling for an end to the spread of unfounded falsehoods.
pbr@yna.co.kr
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