▲ North Korean soldiers, who were captured by Ukrainian forces, eat food sent by a group of North Korean defectors at a prisoner-of-war camp in Ukraine on Oct. 28, 2025, in this file photo provided by Gyeoreol Unification Solidarity. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks in last 3 paras)

SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung warned Friday that South Korea will take "additional measures" should Ukraine continue to refuse to officially apologize for denying its agreement to keep the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) secret.

The South Korean president issued the warning on his X account amid a diplomatic wrangle with Ukraine over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's surprise disclosure last week of the transfer of two North Korean POWs to South Korea.

Seoul has since accused Ukraine of breaching a bilateral agreement to keep the transfer secret, but Ukraine has denied the existence of the confidentiality agreement.

"If (Ukraine) continues to deny the fact and refuse to offer an official apology, (Seoul) will take additional measures," Lee said.

Lee affirmed that Ukraine unilaterally disclosed the transfer despite having previously demanded confidentiality from South Korea, and then made the head of state of the counterpart country a "liar" by saying the nondisclosure agreement did not exist.

"In response to a demand to acknowledge the agreement and apologize, it has instead mentioned (the possibility of) an imminent inter-Korean military conflict," Lee said, accusing Ukraine of attempting to bring "war on the Korean Peninsula" and expressing "serious regret."

"As it is a matter related to the dignity of the South Korean people and the country, I cannot remain silent on it," the president said.

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