President Lee: "Keeping North Korean Prisoners' Repatriation Private Was Justified; Ukraine's Breach of Agreement Is Regrettable"

【Financial News, Mexico City (Mexico) = Reporter Choi Jong-geun】President Lee Jae Myung, who is on a state visit to Mexico, directly rebutted opposition criticism over the government's decision not to disclose the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea. Lee emphasized that although disclosing the repatriation could have helped the government's approval rating, keeping it private was justified in consideration of the prisoners' lives, national security and other national interests. He also expressed regret to Ukraine for disclosing the repatriation after breaking the initial agreement to keep it confidential. Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, "Recently, we sent two North Korean prisoners of war to the Republic of Korea."
On June 24 (local time), Lee shared on X, formerly Twitter, a media report quoting the opposition as asking why the South Korean government had not announced the repatriation of the North Korean prisoners first. He wrote, "State affairs must be conducted for the country and its people, not for the interests or popularity of a regime or those in power."
Lee particularly emphasized, "The repatriation of North Korean prisoners to the Republic of Korea is an extremely sensitive issue that has a significant impact on diplomacy, security and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. From the perspective of those who would have beaten drums, danced and advertised the repatriation to the entire world to tout it as an achievement, without caring how inter-Korean relations turned out, whether someone died or whether national interests were harmed, our government's efforts to keep the matter private would not only be difficult to understand but might even make them wonder whether there was something wrong with it."
Lee said there had also been internal calls within the government to disclose the repatriation. "Why would there not have been internal calls to disclose the repatriation of the North Korean prisoners, which clearly would have helped recover the government's approval rating?" he asked. "However, considering the various problems that could arise from disclosure, keeping it private was justified in every respect, and that is what we agreed to."
He added, "When one considers people's lives, national security and other national interests, nothing could be more cruel and irresponsible than this."
Lee criticized those who harm someone's life and national interests and security for their own petty gain, saying, "Such people are called murderers or traitors. It is wrong to criticize a reasonable and justified decision to keep the matter private."
He also expressed regret over Ukraine's decision to disclose the repatriation. Lee said, "I do not know what circumstances led Ukraine to disclose it in breach of the agreement to keep it private, but it is deeply regrettable."
Lee concluded, "I earnestly hope that the inhumane wars in which countless people are killed or injured and everything is destroyed will come to an end as soon as possible."
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